The Mokuzai-Mokuzai no Mi
by The Lancer of the Sun
Summary: I am Andoru, my family is dead, and if what the man I'm staying with is true then I might be dead soon also. If I do survive, I am to be sent to the East Blue to further my path, the path of a pirate. He told me to stay away from the marines at all cost, the world might depend on it. I'll be damned if I don't listen to him.
1. Chapter 1: The Quiet Beginning

**Chapter 1: The Quiet Beginning**

**AN: So, here I am, once again at the beginning of this story. If you didn't know why we're here again, it's because I realized how badly Gary Sue my OC was and I felt the nigh irresistible desire to redo him. It really bothered me, otherwise I would never be where I am right now and you'd be reading someone else's story after disregarding this one for the obviously bad OC. Guaranteed. If you're reading this recently after I updated my profile summary... thing, you can read my full rant there. If not, well... don't worry about it? I dunno.**

**Meh. You are all undoubtedly bored by my Author's Note at this point. Story time.**

**REVIEW REVIEW! I need to know what I'm doing wrong!**

"Speech"

_'Thought'_

**"Attacks! (Translations!)"**

**[l]**

* * *

Somewhere on the Grand Line

It was drizzling steadily as waves from the deadly sea called the Grand Line pounded the razor sharp rocks on the side of the barren island rising from the water in a great column. The black volcanic obsidian that comprised the island twisted upwards like the hands of thousands of drowning men trying to claw themselves up to the air. But the air that was so desperately yearned for was not as safe as it was expected to be. A thick poison choked the air that nary a man could survive for long, turning the seas a putrid shade of violet.

The spire that was the island was taller than the mast of Man's greatest ship. A pillar so menacing could not possibly be natural in this world, but neither was it crafted by the hands of humans. Even if mankind has the correct tools to do so, this much untouched obsidian would not be present in one place, and in that particular shape.

Atop the towering rock, was a different story told. Where one would expect a sharp peak to be, there was instead a flat plain, shining with a luster of a mirror. The only other feature on the island was a light grey cube the size of a building inscribed with hundreds, no thousands of glyphs. If one looked down at this summit from the clouds, they would see nothing but a large grey square where the stone cube was.

Lightning flashed, revealing a figure standing on the edge of the sheer black cliffs with his arms crossed. The man had a white lab coat in pristine condition that reached down to his ankles with the wrench-and-seagull insignia proudly displayed on its back. The man's legs had been chopped off at the knees and replaced with mechanics far beyond what the world had ever known. The sleek metal boot-like legs were made of high quality steel and coin-sized holes were cut in the soles, creating a firm gripping tread... and perhaps something more.

Though his hands were hidden under his folded arms, they had thick scars, yet were delicate at the same time. Like the hands of someone that worked delicately and dangerously at the same time. Underneath the lab coat was a black polo shirt the same color of the obsidian tower tucked into brown work pants, which hung over the metal legs, making it look like the man was wearing silver pointed shoes. There was a black leather belt holding his pants up with a shiny silver disk on the buckle.

There was a sudden breeze and one of the hands snapped up to the man's head, snatching the worn navy blue ballcap that had blew off in the gust. The man flicked his wrist, then put the hat with the kanji 'SCIENCE' on his short, wavy, greying hair. The man looked up, revealing his deeply embedded light grey eyes on his tanned face. He sighed and fished some glasses from the front pocket of his lab coat. He snapped them open with practiced ease and placed the square lensed spectacles on his aquiline nose. Once he put the glasses on, he lowered his hand to his chin to stroke the beard he had started to grow a couple weeks earlier. He was careful not to disturb the finely trimmed and cultivated handlebar mustache that made his beard look gentlemanly.

Like he did every day, the man stared out to the sea, facing the setting sun which always shone between the clouds at sunset despite the perpetual drizzle of this Spring island's weather pattern, if the jagged spire could even be called an island. He closed his eyes and sighed again, depressed. He lifted his right arm to push the sleeve of his lab coat up. There was revealed to be a forearm-length screen attached to his arm. He tapped the screen to activate it and scrolled down until he reached the small bar that said 'progress journal' and brought it up. There was numerous dates listed there and tapped on the day's. A red dot appeared on the screen and he touched it, causing it to segment into three concentric circles. He let his arm fall to his side and the sleeve slipped back down.

"Vegapunk progress report, thirteen months, eleven days, seventeen hours, forty-eight minutes, twenty-nine seconds and counting since the assignment of project Regrowth." The man, now revealed to be Dr. Vegapunk, the foremost of the scientists employed by the marines said. His voice was no-nonsense and he spoke very precisely, as a professional of his calibre was due. "Little progress has been made on project Regrowth. Over the last year there has been several candidates with little luck, they haven't even the aptitude to begin testing. On the other hand, there has been a promising development. Three days ago a young male child drifted into the Miasma around Oninoiwa spire. The child does not look entirely human upon further examination... And that may be the reason behind his miraculous survival. He boasts a faster metabolism than any creature I've ever seen, the reason behind his survival of the powerful neurotoxin that is the Miasma perhaps?" He drifted off, deep in thought.

"I have my suspicions of what he may be, the pointed ears, green hair, green eyes, and unnatural pallor of skin point to a specific race, but there is no way to determine accurately until the child regains consciousness. This discovery is quite intriguing." Vegapunk reported, not bothering to raise his arm with the device. He knew that it would catch every word he said. "A book I procured from a... let's just say, a very, _very_ reliable place states that the humanoid race I believe the child is from a time before the World Government came into being. As opposed to the more recently discovered races, such as Fishmen, Mermaids, and the like... this particular race may be from ages before the event that shaped our world as it is now."

The doctor's voice suddenly became grim, "If my suspicions prove to be correct, then this world as we know it will surely change, and this 'Great Pirate Age' will seem like nothing. I must find out where this child came from and ensure that no man, woman, or child of any race, no matter where they come from steps a single foot on that island. The world may very well depend on it, cliche as it sounds."

"Let's only hope that project Regrowth goes through without a hitch. Even a failure will be acceptable when dealing with these stakes."

The doctor slid the sleeve up and tapped the red dot on the display. A robotic woman's voice was heard coming from the screen on Vegapunk's arm. "Recording terminated."

"Thank you, Violette." He murmured to his artificial intelligence.

**[l]**

* * *

"Vegapunk progress report, thirteen months, sixteen days, seventeen hours, forty-five minutes, zero seconds and counting since the assignment of project Regrowth."

"The child has woken up, but only has the barest of motor control over his body. Despite his higher resistance to the neurotoxin in the Miasma, his nerve cells are fried for lack of a better term. He feels nothing, and cannot move whatsoever. I can be glad that the Miasma works slowly, else the child would have perished out there, an honorless death. Because of the absence of control, I am given the task of taking complete care over him. It is a small task, and one that I do not mind, but if the child's condition does not improve within the next week or so, I fear that it will become arduous."

An irritated grunt, "I am becoming off topic from my purpose of recording these daily reports. I cross-referenced a blood and tissue sample taken, painlessly I assure you, from the child and I indeed discovered the boy is not a human, fishman or one of the merpeople. That alone is not surprising, considering a lack of similarity, physical or otherwise with the other two races. The lack of relation to human was surprising, I must admit, despite the similar physical characteristics. Perhaps I should obtain a stem cell from the child's bone marrow to see if his race and humans are compatible to mate? I can see no reason why that is not possible. Hmph, something to look into while the child cannot feel anything. It is just a suggestion, but if it were possible, the information that would be available to us would be... astounding. The child exhibits very similar physical traits with humans, more support to the cross-breed idea, but he seems more, attentive while in the sunlight. I observed this strange phenomena when I was carrying him into The Cube to the intensive care unit. The child just seems more... alive for a lack of a better word."

Vegapunk sighed, "I may have to move the child, of whom I have most definitely decided to be the one and only candidate for project Regrowth, to a room with as much access to sunlight as possible. The old prism focusing room should suffice. As there is no identity for the child, and he is yet to gain enough strength to speak, for now I shall call him Suchiruamu, Steel-arm. His bodily grip on my own cybernetics despite his obviously weakened state were akin to the steel clamps that I needed to use to keep my body still during the operations to fit myself with robotics." The doctor laughed briefly before continuing, "Of course, this is also a slight against corruption among my very own affiliation. There was a task given to me, codenamed: project Suchiruamu. A previous assignment tasked to me by corrupt marines to see if a blade could eat a devil fruit. I scoffed at the foolish marines then, and I will do it again now." The doctor did so with derision, "Of course you can put the powers of the devil fruit in a weapon, they just needed to find the correct Devil Fruit in the first place to give it. It just so happened that I had said fruit in my possession at the time and was oh so generous that day. I was so righteously cheerful when the project in question immediately killed the corrupt marines trying to get their personal assassin. The pay they gave me for it was so nice. I still have the nice little beri cushion for when the Government puts pressure on me to complete project Regrowth. I am not so naive to believe corruption does not exist, and I shall gladly accept any opportunity to root it out wherever it rears its ugly head." Vegapunk snorted to himself, "How poetic. I surprise even myself occasionally by my own passion."

"I hope for the sake of my madness that Regrowth isn't a Tenryubito grab at furthering their own luxury. That would indeed be unfortunate. Project Regrowth would make a perfect Marine Commander. Virtually unkillable, bending plantlife at will, HA! Whoever holds the wielder of this project can single-handedly control the economy if they desired."

A beeping noise was heard in the background and Vegapunk was heard snapping his glasses open with one hand, presumably to place them on his face. Vegapunk sighed and tapped the computer built into his arm. "What's this? My radar is detecting a ship approaching my little _slice of heaven_. A certain scarred man has decided to mozy on down from his little vacation in the East Blue to visit little old me. How nice. I hope that our favorite 'Red-Hair' Shanks brings good news. I, for one have excellent news to give Monkey D. Garp regarding Shanks' involvement with his favorite grandson."

He tapped his arm. "Recording terminated." Violette, his artificial intelligence, said. Vegapunk looked out into the sunset and told Violette to let Shanks' ship come in.

"At once, Doctor Vegapunk." She replied.

**[l]**

* * *

It had been thirty minutes since Vegapunk's sensors first picked up Shanks' ship. Enough time for the doctor to clean up, and lay his plan down.

Vegapunk stood vigilant on the edge of Oninoiwa Spire, watching the _Red Force _come to the massive tower of black volcanic rock speedily. He knew that the correct route to the small, barely noticeable cove in the side of the hunk of rock was painstakingly difficult to navigate, not to mention time-consuming, but he couldn't help but tap his metal foot impatiently. The rather busy doctor pushed up his sleeve to read the time off of his cybernetic arm, wiping the rain from the waterproof screen. It was always raining.

When he looked up, there he was. The red man himself. Vegapunk raised an eyebrow at the man's appearance. "Now you start to look like your title claims you to be, Yonkou. Last time I saw you, you were a brat on the King's ship." He quipped. Shanks was, like his moniker said, a redhead, and his shining locks reached down to his cheekbones in a roguishly handsome way. Differing from their last meeting when Shanks was younger, the man now sported a whiskery goatee. The ever-present smile on Shanks' kind features was gone, highlighting his sharp eyes and thin eyebrows. The pirate had a black cape draped around his shoulders and a white button-down shirt left open to expose his muscled chest. Brown pants with gold studs down the sides came halfway down Shanks' calves, exposing hairy legs and the heavy-duty sandals he wore. To complete the outfit was a red sash around his waist with a long, heavy-looking cutlass tucked into it.

But there was something missing from the red-haired man, something that was seemingly attached to him. Well, two things actually, but his left arm wasn't as important as the lack of the straw hat perpetually stuck to the man's head.

Vegapunk rubbed his gentlemanly beard thoughtfully and peered at Shanks through his thin, rectangular lensed glasses. "Hmm... Something's different about you, boy." The doctor said, subtly trying to get a rise out of the man.

Shanks would have none of it, "You have something that belongs to me."

The doctor, of course knew what it was that Shanks was looking for. There was a certain book that Gol D. Roger had, that just so happened to be in the possession of Vegapunk. The boy must have inherited it after Roger's execution, and Vegapunk knew this day would come. That didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun. "I'm not quite sure I understand what you are talking abo-"

"You know damn well what I mean!" Shanks interrupted, in no mood to play games, "The book written by that stupid old man when the crew went deep into Paradise. _The Men Who Stride the Forests_ has implicit details of that old man's life that could be used to find him. Zen might be retired and living happily, but there's no way I'm going to let the marines get their grubby hands on something that can help track down any of my Nakama! They're too precious."

Vegapunk grinned toothily, "And you shall have it. As I predicted, I knew this day would arrive. But I expected this 'old man' to come and retrieve the book himself."

The red-haired pirate was irritated enough to begin with when he discovered that one of his friends and mentors was in danger because of a marine, (albeit a marine scientist, but a marine nonetheless) being in possession of the book. Now that he was nearing his goal, Shanks was not going to let his guard down, but was willing to do more than necessary in order to obtain safety for one man that used to be in the crew.

"Follow me, Red-Hair. I will get you the book, but I have something interesting to show you as well." Vegapunk said, walking over to the large stone cube in the dead center of the obsidian island.

Shanks hesitated, but his resolve strengthened when he remembered that this was all so none of the former Pirate King's crew would be in danger. Never will he allow such leverage into the hands of the marines.

So both men made their way to the cube, where a large bay door seemingly appeared from the sheer stone walls. With a loud grinding noise, the stone gate slowly rose to let the two men in. "Let's get out of this rain, shall we?" Vegapunk offered, like the gentleman he was.

"The sooner this gets done, the better."

Vegapunk chortled, not expecting the lazy man to ever say those words in his lifetime.

**[l]**

* * *

The huge cube-shaped facility was even larger on the inside than what it had seemed like on the outside. Vegapunk led Shanks through many lefts, rights, even several staircases on the way to his office. "You see Shanks, this facility, _The Cube_, as it is being called by the occasional visiting marine, is not just my current home." Vegapunk said, providing a commentary as the two walked the halls. Vegapunk passed another one-way panel of glass without a second glance as Shanks stopped to stare in horror. "This is my laboratory as well."

"W-what are you doing to these... things?!"

The doctor stopped with an inquiring noise and turned to face the one-armed pirate. He looked into the room on the other side and shrugged. "Experiments. The marines seem to think that I can make their next weapon of destruction for them to waste on a petty battle."

Through the glass was a naked huddled human form, quivering in the corner with its back facing the door next to the glass window. Massive white feathered wings had been surgically attached to the human's back, and there was a myriad of scars connecting from the base of the wings to all around the man's back and chest muscles. The doctor tapped on the glass with the back of a knuckle and the thing turned blindingly fast to face the source of the sound, covering its face with the wings and screeching loudly.

If it were possible, the front of the man was even more gruesome. Scars with the stitching still on stretched over unnaturally large muscles all over the thing's torso and arms, with the chest alterations being the largest. "You see boy, the human body is physically unable of self-sustained flight other than being altered by the devil fruits." Vegapunk explained, "Project Inflight is yet to be seen as a success. The marines want a fully-functioning soldier capable of flight and keeping the ability to swim." The winged man lunged at the glass, finally uncovering its face. The man's nose, mouth, and eyes had been removed and replaced with corresponding parts of a bird of prey. "The idea was to have the same sensory ability as a raptor. Inspired by Pell the Peregrine Falcon of the Arabasta Kingdom. When he fully assimilates the changes, he will have the ability to fly and have the sight, smell, and hearing of a bird of prey. Brilliant, no?" Vegapunk asked. Raw, thick scars formed an intricate network all over, splitting in some spots to weep red blood. The man's hands had also been shorn off, revealing scaly, webbed claws capable of both swimming and tearing through flesh at the same time. The falcon... thing swiped its claws at the glass, making deep cuts into the barrier. "That's reinforced glass, too." Vegapunk added.

The thing continued to bash at the glass and Vegapunk tutted. "Now, now, Lieutenant." He purred into his arm computer, his voice being projected from a black speaker in the ceiling of the room. "You signed up for this, you said you dreamed of flying one day, didn't you? No need to be so hostile, hmm? Your dream will soon come to fruition."

The former man raked its claws across the glass panel again and Vegapunk shook his head before tapping the screen on his arm. "Violette, pacify Inflight before he hurts himself." He commanded his female AI. Small doors slid open on the walls and Tesla coils emerged from the holes. Shanks' eyes were wide as the electricity-emitting machines shot small bolts of lightning at the marine Lieutenant. The man went rigid for a moment before collapsing bonelessly to the floor, smoking slightly. "That man's resilience to electricity never ceases to amaze me, any normal man would be dead hundreds of times over by now." The doctor said, nodding with approval.

The shrill screech of metal-against-scabbard was heard and Vegapunk felt the cold tingle of Shanks' sword against his neck. "Give me one reason!" Shanks growled, "Why I shouldn't kill you right now!"

Doctor Vegapunk turned to look at Shanks, his eyes glittering with mirth behind the rectangular glasses and a cruel grin displacing his professional look. "Because, _boy_, I still have your leverage."

"I can kill you and find it myself."

The grin widened, "That's where you are wrong, pirate." Vegapunk said with an entertained voice, "Every turn, step, or flight of stairs we took took us further into my domain. If you indeed kill me, the lack of bioelectrical information being broadcast from my body to the sensors absolutely packed into this facility will trigger a failsafe coded into Violette's programming to destroy every living and nonliving thing in the entire cube. The book you so yearn to acquire will _burn_." The twisted doctor leaned in to whisper into Shanks' ear, "Can you, the honorable pirate emperor live with all the death? Project Inflight is one of hundreds of experiments in my little slice of _hell._" The doctor informed Shanks. "Can you, the honorable pirate emperor live with the extinction of the Ki no Hitobito race? That's right, the main focus of that damnable book is right here, in this very facility. Kill me, and kill the last thing that will be able to stop that demon from the book tells us about from remaking the world to its sadistic whims."

The scarlet-haired pirate's eyes widened, surely Vegapunk was lying? He quickly hid his shock and glared at the scientist, not much would ruffle him, but this did. The two men stood in tense silence, Shanks looking murderous while Vegapunk examined his nails without a care in the world that a sword was pressed up against his neck. Slowly, the cutlass was removed from the scientist's neck and he smiled to show many teeth, reveling in the superiority and control he had over one of the most powerful men in the world. "That's a smart boy." He said patronizingly.

Shanks angrily slammed his sword into the sheath on his hip. "Just get me the book so I can get the heck off of this island, _marine_." He snarled at the cyborg with the superiority complex.

"As you wish, _pirate_."

Vegapunk led Shanks for about ten more minutes until they came upon another one-way pane of glass, but the glass had been blacked out. The Kanji "Project Regrowth" boldly written in green paint on a metal door next to the glass. Vegapunk put his hand on the palm scanner and turned his head to face Shanks, "I neglected to tell you, Red-Hair that I forgot about where the book was until you came into my lovely abode." The doctor lied to Shanks' face.

"You planned this." Shanks accused.

"Whoopsies." Was the uncaring response. Vegapunk's arm beeped and the door next to the hand scanner unlocked with a loud clunk. The metal door creaked loudly as it swung open with a 'Welcome, Doctor Vegapunk' from one of Violette's speakers built into the hand scanner. "Meet project Regrowth, codename: Suchiruamu." Vegapunk said.

Both men entered the room and Shanks shielded his eyes from the bright light that immediately assaulted him. Blinking rapidly, Shanks' eyes adjusted to make up for the sudden brightness until he could see the room. There was a small hole in the middle of the ceiling that emitted light so strongly that there seemed to be a beam of whiteness coming down in a cone to encompass whatever was in the center of the room. Because he could not see whatever was in the center of the room, and Shanks had a sinking feeling that he already knew what it was, he instead looked around the outside of the room. There was absolutely nothing adorning the slate-grey room but a metal desk pushed against the wall with a chair pushed into it. There was really nothing to decorate it, but there was one thing that Shanks spotted immediately. A thick book, yellowed with age bound in tough brown leather. There were metal reinforcements on the corners and along the spine to prevent damage.

Shanks didn't even need to see the title to know that it was his quarry. _The Men Who Stride the Forests_ sat there innocently on the desk while Shanks stared at it, all of his attention diverted to the old tome. Shanks' eyes narrowed, thinking of stealing the book and getting out of this horrible place before Vegapunk could react.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, Vegapunk knew exactly what Shanks was thinking and placed a palm on the book. "I'm sorry Red-Hair, but I still haven't shown you the big surprise! You can have the book when we're done." The doctor said to Shanks like he was a greedy child that needed to wait for his candy. The pirate scowled at Vegapunk and he blinked innocently, "Why, Shanks, what a hostile look you're giving my way. Have I done something to anger you?"

"I'm starting to regret my decision of not killing you." Shanks gritted out. "You're seriously pissing me off right now."

The doctor smiled at Shanks then flicked a switch. "Closing sunlight focus." Vegapunk's feminine AI said. A small panel slid over the hole in the ceiling and the room darkened considerably. Shanks growled as his eyes were forced to adjust again. Vegapunk raised an amused eyebrow then hit another switch and fluorescent lights flickered into life. "This, my dear redhead, is why I brought you here."

When Shanks could finally see again, he looked at what used to be blocked out by the cone of light and gasped, his surprise finally showing on his face as his suspicions were confirmed. _'So he really wasn't bluffing about the Ki no Hitobito child.'_ He thought. There was a hospital bed in the center of the room with many monitoring machines next to it. On the bed was a child with green hair and deathly pale skin. The child's face was rather impish, like a spoiled little ruler that was thinking of something devious. Angled eyebrows over almond-shaped eyes and high cheekbones. A strong nose with a mouth below where a smile wouldn't look out of place, much like Shanks. The most surprising part of this child's appearance was his long, pointed ears, those were just not natural. Even a well-traveled man like Shanks had never seen something like that. Shanks idly noted that the boy had nothing covering his emaciated torso, but had a worn pair of cream-colored burlap shorts on his legs.

What was worrying though, was the two long bandages going starting on his forehead and reaching down to his left cheek, going over the eye. "He was lucky." Vegapunk said. "Those two scars on his face are like yours, heh, in placement and damage. The wound is only superficial, and he will suffer no damage to his vision or to the eye itself."

"He still has not awoken from the nerve damage caused by the miasma." Vegapunk continued, managing to get Shanks' attention off of the child. "This child almost died when the little fishing boat he was in crashed into the base of Oninoiwa Spire. Luckily, I was there and rescued him in time. These metal legs are not just for appearance, you know. The rockets in these babies shot me straight outta there with one little Suchiruamu in my hands."

"I-is... He truly..."

"Yes, Suchiruamu here may be the last Ki no Hitobito alive. I have a sneaking suspicion that whatever forced him to leave his island at such a young age was not so kind to whatever relatives he had." Vegapunk said, his smile becoming a bit strained.

The pirate took a closer look at "Suchiruamu's" face, "You said nerve damage from that stupid mist down there? How will he 'suffer no damage to his eye' if that poison mist destroys nerves... Thank Kami that I had my men grab gas masks when I first saw it."

Vegapunk grinned, "It's the sunlight. It somehow speeds up Suchiruamu's healing. Something to do with the Ki no Hitobito for sure. You probably didn't notice, but there were mirrors set up all over the roof of this place to focus all the sunlight. Even with the low amounts of sunlight that peek through the rain, you obviously saw the outstanding amount of light focused into one point. That place is the ceiling, if haven't figured it out. Mountains of research can come from studying him, just because he is of a lost race!"

The doctor's grin faltered before falling completely. "Oh what am I kidding, I'll barely get any time to study the boy like I want to." By the time he had finished saying this, Vegapunk was openly scowling. "Damn Gorosei!"

Shanks was confused by the sudden change in demeanor, "What's really going on Vegapunk?" He asked. "First you are all happy, but now..."

Vegapunk pulled up the chair that was sitting at the desk and collapsed onto it heavily. He would no longer pretend that he did not know what project Regrowth was truly about. "The Gorosei want the weapons of the ancients, you know." He said. Shanks raised an eyebrow. "Pluton, Poseidon, Uranus. They seek to use these weapons to end the Great Pirate age, and then rule the world with absolute power. They claim that they are afraid of the ancient weapons and never want them be awoken, but I know that they seek a higher power to destroy even the ancient weapons. If the ancient weapons are turned against them, they want something so impossibly powerful that the weapons don't matter."

Vegapunk stood up sharply, knocking the chair onto the ground and looked into Shanks' eyes with a ferocity "This goes against the very fibers of my being! My justice, Pure Justice, is one with no corruption, and everybody knows that absolute power corrupts absolutely! That's why I design all of my creations with failsafes. When the corrupt marines use them, they fail spectacularly and the marines end up never being seen again... All that I am, my purpose... is to rid this world of corruption."

Vegapunk pointed to "Suchiruamu" on the bed. "The objective of project Regrowth is to make an artificial Devil Fruit, one capable of awakening something truly hellish upon this world. The damn Gorosei wish to circumvent the risk of awakening the three ancient weapons and just make their own! The only being fit for such a Devil Fruit is going to be this child, the last Ki no Hitobito!" Vegapunk yelled, pointing to the form on the bed.

Shanks' expression hardened and he pulled his sword out, "Then, you should just not do it. Don't make the fruit." He growled threateningly.

"I HAVE NO CHOICE!" Vegapunk roared. "If I don't do it within their time constraints, one and a half years from now, they are going to find the island and forcefully awaken the demon!" He picked up the book on the desk and shoved it at Shanks, "Read it in the book! The monster destroyed the world for fun and remade it however the monster wanted to! The only way that it was stopped was by the mass sacrifice of the Ki no Hitobito, and this child," Vegapunk pointed to Suchiruamu again, "...Will be the only thing that can stop it if the monster is ever woken. So Shanks, you tell me... Should I refuse to do anything I can to stop a world-destroying demon?"

Shanks sheathed his sword and took the book, tucking it into his red sash. "Let me tell you what you should do, Doctor Vegapunk." The pirate said. "Make this Devil Fruit, and train the child while it is being created. It is better for him to get the training when he is young and it will become more ingrained into his mind. Next, you will send him to East Blue. No ifs, ands, or buts. He needs to meet a certain man. I will arrange the transportation, all you need to do is to send me a letter when he is ready. Once you see the person, you will know that it is time for him to go. Before he goes off with my man, tell him to find me, to get this book. Once you send him off, your job is almost done, but mine begins." Shanks explained.

Vegapunk placed his face in his hands, "But what about the Gorosei? What if they awaken the beast before Suchiruamu gets to you?"

"That's the rest of your job. You keep them from going off with any half-baked ideas to awaken this monster. If they refuse to listen to any reason, well, your only choice is to do what the government did with Nico Robin. Hopefully, that will pacify the Gorosei, and they will send the marines to take him back." Shanks grinned evilly at the next thought he had, "But they'll never find him. The man in East Blue is the best at what he does, and I can tell you right now, if he wants something hidden, not even the devil itself can find it. Besides, we both know how incompetent the marines are."

Vegapunk smiled thinly, his faith returning, but he still put his face in his hands. "How can I know that you are telling the truth, Shanks? No offense to you, but you are a pirate." He said.

Shanks returned the expression and stuck his arm out for Vegapunk to grasp, "I give you my word as one of the four Yonkou. If that isn't enough, I don't know what is."

The doctor clasped forearms with Shanks, the ancient gesture signifying the finalization of an agreement. "I cannot thank you enough, Shanks. Suchiruamu is crucial to the coming years. I can just feel it."

** [l]**

* * *

**The Boy**

**[l]**

* * *

The light was bright. Coming down on me like the angry gaze of a god. If I squinted hard enough, I could see it coming from a tiny dot in the sky, but then the light would be too much for me to handle and I was forced to either cover my eyes or close them. This light was alarming, I'd never been in a situation like this. I opened my parched lips to talk, but was surprised at the lack of sounds that came out. "K-k...khaaa..." I rasped weakly.

My heart started to race. _'Th-this is scary! I just wanna go home!'_ I thought with a look of panic. I tried to move, to get out of this place, but all my body did was twitch. Tears started to brim in the corners of my eyes. I'd never felt so helpless in my entire life.

'_Except...'_

Images flashed through my mind. A sword held by a white-gloved hand. Green, a color I am familiar with, was everywhere. A manic laugh borne by a man wearing makeup. Orange blooming on the green, casting light through a cover of leaves. What would make orange like that?

_'Fire...'_ Idly slid across the forefront of my mind, lost in the torrent of memories. Green being consumed by orange, fire everywhere. A shrill laugh and black clouds, dancing in the air from a wind that was not natural. A... leg? Green hair, brown skin-no... brown bark. A hand reaching back, **"Kusa no HA!"**

Blood, watering the ground. A blood-curdling scream of terror and pain, _"ANDORU, RUN!"_

I screwed my eyes shut, screaming in horror and pressing my palms over them only to recoil at the sudden pain. My left eye hurt, and flashes of a white-gloved hand slicing across my face came to the forefront of my memory.

Hard, cold hands gripped my arms and forced them into restraints. I struggled in vain, tugging at the cold bonds on my wrists until I felt white-hot pain lance through them. My eyes didn't seem to work anymore. I couldn't see, the whiteness from the angry god was too bright.

"Suchiruamu!" A sharp voice barked. I stilled, quivering in my place and drew my knees upward to my chest, rocking gently.

"K-kaa... Nee... T-tou... Jii..." I breathed from a dry, unused throat. '_No... NO! This isn't happening, this can't be happening!'_

Memories. More of those accursed memories. Two forms being thrown on a pile of fire. Sizzling, burning flesh and cries of anguish. Fist full of knives plunging into the back of an afroed man. Tearing flesh and fountains of blood from an open throat. Wide, hateful eyes staring into mine as I drifted away. A fist full of knives raking shallowly across my face. The clenching of my throat as I breathed in the purple mist.

I wrenched at the bands on my wrists and the metal started creaking from the stress. '_I have to get out, go to the green place! Go home!'_

Screaming, pain from a hoarse voice. I couldn't feel my hands, and the pain from my wrists had redoubled, shooting bolts of pain up my slim arms. My eyes were rolling wildly in my sockets and I coughed, blood speckling my bared chest.

"Dammit, Suchiruamu! Violette, sedate him before he kills himself!"

_'WHO THE HECK IS THIS SUCHIRUAMU?! WHO IS VIOLETTE?!' _I raged to himself, then the answer became apparent, the man was talking about me! A sharp pain in the meat of my forearms, and if possible I screeched louder. The world started to blur. '_Hey, maybe that angry god decided to send me to those people in the green place?'_ Finally, my voice gave out, sending little rivulets of red blood dripping down the corners of my mouth.

_'The people... Family.'_

_'Slaughter.'_

**[l]**

* * *

The world was fuzzy and tingly, that much I could feel. Whenever I tried to move something, there was more tingles. I thought the tingles were hilarious and tried to laugh, but no sound came out. As a matter of fact, everything seemed dulled and I felt like I was floating. '_This was the best! Everything was all a bad dream!' _I relaxed in this cloud-feeling surface that I was laying on_. 'Just a bad dream,' _I thought with a sleepy smile.

Relaxing had been a mistake.

All of the happy, floating feeling came crashing down and I grit my teeth. My wrists, face, and throat hurt something fierce and I groaned softly, sending jagged bolts of pain into my throat. I opened my eyes then shut them immediately_, 'That stupid light is really bright!'_

Talk about a rude awakening.

_'How long have I been here... and what the heck happened to me?'_ I thought. The puzzle pieces of what went went over at my home island started coming together and I felt like hitting my head on something until everything went back to the way it was before. Slowly, my head started to raise from where it was laying on a soft, comfy pillow when a voice startled me.

"There's going to be none of that, Suchiruamu."

I gasped at the sudden voice then winced when it caused my throat to throb. Against my better judgement, I turned my head towards where the voice had come from, ignoring the pain from my tender vocal chords. "Whha... hap-" I choked out before my voice refused to respond to my commands. I couldn't continue speaking because it felt like someone shoved a red-hot iron down my gullet... violently.

There was a man in a white lab coat standing to the left with his arms crossed, a stern look on his rather... gentlemanly face. The man's wavy brownish-grey hair was sticking up in a bizarre cowlick and I just couldn't help but look at the enigma for a couple seconds before moving on. He had glasses tucked into the pocket protector of his coat and a black polo shirt on under the coat. I couldn't see the man's bottom half because he was sitting in a padded leather office chair near a desk. There was an old navy blue ballcap on the black metal desk, removed for respect's' sake. He cleared his throat and looked at me with inquisitive grey eyes, "Done gawking?"

In response, I tugged at the metal cuffs on my wrists gently, careful to not disturb the cuts. He smirked and stood up, revealing brown pants over some weird shiny boots. He walked over to my bedside and leaned over me, "Wanna get out, huh? You gave me quite the scare, Suchiruamu." He pushed up one of his sleeves, and... poked his arm? I gave him an exasperated look, _'How is poking yourself going to open up these stupid contraptions?!'_ I thought aggressively. He laughed at my expression and tapped his arm once more. The restraints on my arms popped open and my eyes positively bugged out of my head. Hesitantly, I brought my hands to my chest and rubbed them softly. If all that was a dream, then why did my wrists and throat hurt?

The man chuckled again and rapped his knuckles on the arm he had been tapping, making a pinging noise come from it. "Ah, the young and stupid, how I wish to be like you once again, Suchiruamu. You see, my young friend, I am what they call a cyborg. A mixture between a robot and a man." He puffed out his chest proudly and pointed to himself, "I am the only cyborg in existence, but I'm not too naïve to think I won't be joined by others anytime soon. Doctor Vegapunk, the man who is hundreds of years ahead of everybody else in the knowledge department, foremost of the Marine scientists, and soon-to-be awesome guy-" He smiled, as if saying 'oh, silly me' "Oh, wait a second, I'm already awesome. Scratch that off the list..."

There was an awkward silence that I'm pretty sure Dr. Vegapunk didn't notice at all.

"Oh yeah! Ha ha! I forgot to introduce myself, Doctor Vegapunk, at my service!"

I sweatdropped a little, _'Is this guy an idiot?'_

The man's happy face dropped and he wrinkled his nose, "Hm, you're more mature than you look, other children your age would be laughing." He then rubbed his beard with twinkling eyes, "Then again, other children in your predicament would be dead." At my aghast look, Vegapunk waved his hands in front of his face. "No, no. Not like that! What I meant to say was that nobody has ever survived such a prolonged exposure to the Miasma before. When I rescued you, you were about to die. It was truly a miracle that you survived."

My eyes widened, "You saved me?!" I tried to say. What really came out was "Y-you... saav-" before my voice once again shut down. I glared at my hands, I'm always too weak! I can't do anything right! I can't even fight in my dreams!

"Oi, oi, Suchiruamu." Vegapunk said. I gave him a glare so acidic that it would have melted the cuffs that used to be on my arms. _'My name is not 'Suchiruamu' you stupid marine!'_ At my look, his face hardened and he smacked the back of my head, hard, his flesh-colored metal hand ringing softly after the blow. My head snapped forward and my hands cradled the spot he hit me. "There will be none of that. As long as you're with me, you shall be known as 'Suchiruamu.' Or, would you rather be called project Regrowth?"

_'I would rather be called my name you jerk!'_ I thought, giving him another nasty look. He backhanded me, causing me to slam into the soft, cloud-like bed. He sat on the bed to lean over me, and I could feel his hot breath on my pointed ear, "You had better start showing some respect to the man that saved your damn life!" He hissed. I quivered away from him and he sat back with an unhappy look, "You're lucky that I have a vested interest in keeping you alive, else your corpse would be getting devoured by sea-kings right now."

I covered my face with my hands to keep him from seeing my terrified look and he snorted. "Man up. You're no longer in the happy land of wherever the heck you came from. You are now in my domain. There is not a single soul to be found for days."

The man got off the bed and dusted his pants. He pulled a thick yellow pad of paper and a pen from one of his pockets and tossed them next to me. "If you're good for anything, write down the coordinates of your home island. If you can't do that, write your name or something, I don't care. Just give me some information about yourself." Vegapunk fixed me with a stare, "You can write, I hope?"

I nodded to him and he turned to leave, "Good. I will return shortly. If there is not anything on that pad by the time I get back, those light taps to he head will feel like nothing compared to what I'm going to give you."

And with that _charming_ little remark, the doctor left the room, closing the heavy metal door behind him with a pneumatic hiss.

I immediately jumped off of the bed, only to collapse the moment my feet hit the cold tile floor.

There was a buzzing noise and Vegapunk's voice came from a speaker in a corner. "Oh, and one more thing. Don't even think of trying to escape. Your body is physically unable to, due to your nerves being completely destroyed by the Miasma. The neurotoxin in it is... quite potent."

I mentally cursed and punched the floor, only to cradle my wrist as tears sprung up from the pain of jarring freshly-healed nerves in my wrist.

_'Dammit!'_

**[l]**

* * *

"Vegapunk progress report, fourteen months, three days, seven hours, thirty-eight minutes, eighteen seconds and counting since the assignment of project Regrowth."

Vegapunk sighed breezily, making his breath cloud in the late afternoon chill of Oninoiwa Spire. The time around sunset was always cold enough to make the water vapor in the air visible. He looked down and could barely see twenty feet past the cliff edge where he stood, vigilant as a statue overlooking its cathedral.

"Project Regrowth, codenamed: 'Suchiruamu' has naturally repaired his body using sunlight and is coherent enough to control all of his functions. Regrettably, in one of his earlier moments of being awake, but not truly lucid, he screamed so much that his vocal chords are no longer able to produce sound. His ability to speak will return with time. It would most likely never return if he were human, from his obvious mental trauma as well as the physical damage to his body. Seeing as how Suchiruamu is Ki no Hitobito, the addition of the sunlight increasing his cellular regeneration and his apparent mental fortitude will see that Suchiruamu will speak once more." The doctor paused, "When, is the real question. I am going to predict that his vocal chords will heal in a week at least, from his faster healing. It may be weeks, months or possibly years before he decides to talk though. I'm fine with the silence, as long as the boy can write. If he can write, I'll just give him something to write on, and we'll communicate that way. If the opposite is true, then we may have a problem."

He cleared his throat, "On to the next part of the report, the Devil Fruit production for project Regrowth has finally gained some progress. Thanks to Suchiruamu, I have a subject, but I need more material to study. Though I have made some progress on the creation of this new fruit, I need all three raw variations of fruit, being Logia, Paramecia, and Zoan with close enough power-giving properties to make this fruit for the Gorosei." The doctor said. This was the difficult part in the process of creating the new Devil Fruit. Vegapunk needed all three of the types of Devil Fruit that already exist _and_ are uneaten _and_ bestow powers that are similar to one another before even _thinking_ about creating one of his own.

The thought of all of it made a throbbing migraine come upon the cyborg-doctor.

"I am going to be making a trip to Suchiruamu's home island in three days, the delay being in place so that I can stabilize my more, ah, let me just call them more _sensitive_ projects. On a sidenote, the marines have rejected project Inflight, calling it too 'inhumane.'" At this, Vegapunk barked a laugh out, "They really don't know half of what goes on in these four walls of the Cube. The punchline in this situation being that every one of my little 'projects,' deemed inhumane or no, the marines have sponsored. From my first project, Red Shower to my newest one, being Regrowth, the marines with their lust for power have told me to do... unspeakable things to mankind to better their so-called 'justice.'" He closed his eyes, his next breath coming out ragged, "I fear that I may have become desensitized to the suffering of the fellow men, my comrades, that I have been forced to work on. I will never forget them, the names of all the good men and women are carved onto the stone face of the Cube. As of now, almost one half of a wall of the Cube is covered with names. This... I cannot abide by."

"I do have some hope for humanity," Vegapunk said, his voice brightening slightly. "But I fear that the truly good men are those who are not in control of this world. The World Government, The Marines, The Tenryubito... they are wrongly in control despite the few Marines working to fix this world. Vice Admiral Garp, for example, is an exception to this rule of corrupt, tyrannical marines, alongside Admiral Aokiji and a new upstart being posted in Loguetown. I think he may be some newbie by the name of... Smoker, was it? There are too few moral marines like these three men in this world." The cyborg's approval of these people was so evident that one could almost feel the smile on his face. Then his attitude soured quickly, "The ruling 'protectors' and 'governors' in this age disgust me. Allowing slavery to exist and killing the slaves if they go for freedom with explosives. It is they who are the inhumane ones, not myself, despite what they forced me to do. Freedom is the core of humanity in the Great Pirate Age, and probably before, in the Lost Age as well. What these... things in control do, is oppress the people, stunting the culture development and forcing them to go their way or cease to exist."

After his little speech tapered off, Vegapunk was silent for a good ten seconds, looking into the sunset.

"...This, is why I agreed to help 'Red-Hair' Shanks and am going through with his plan for Suchiruamu. The power that he wields now, and will have later with the artificial Devil Fruit, could tip the scales in the world's power struggle. And I don't want the current rulers of the world to have the control here. The demon sealed in that one place is only part of this equation, as are the three ancient weapons. I have cast my lot with the Pirates, the fighters for freedom and purity. 'Pure Justice' does not allow me to side with corruption, therefore, I am going to Suchiruamu's home. I need to see for myself where the Ki no Hitobito lived."

Vegapunk sighed, "If I don't get all the information, this could easily become the death of this world as we know it."

A light tap on Vegapunk's arm screen. "Recording terminated." Violette informed.

The doctor grunted and scratched his face. "Violette, lock the incriminating data away. Only allow the first half of the report to be heard, and lock away the second half with maximum security encryption. The last thing I need is to be exposed as a traitor to the World Government and The Marines, I'm rather comfortable with being a spy for now."

"Of course Doctor Vegapunk." His Artificial Intelligence said.

**[l]**

* * *

Three Days Later

The pneumatic hiss of the large metal door was the only thing to give me any warning before Dr. Vegapunk walked into the room hurriedly, seeing as how the bright cone of light from the ceiling obscured my vision completely. Strangely, the light did not hurt my eyes, not even before all of this Vegapunk business. I tried to talk to him, to say his name, anything, but to no avail. The only sound that came from me was a wheeze and my other reward was a sharp stab of pain to my throat. I clenched my teeth and put a hand over my neck. Damn uselessness! What good can I be if I can't talk? Surely Doctor Vegapunk needs his prisoners to be functional, little toys. The smacks from my one little show of attitude were nothing but the occasional ghost pain by now, but the harsh reminder still kept me cowed. _'Like a child that needs to learn obedience. I'm not a child anymore, not after that stupid clown.'_ I thought bitterly.

"Suchiruamu, get up." The not-quite-a-man ordered. "We are taking a little trip to your home island. Everything is all set up to go, I just need you to come with me." I bolted upright from where I had been laying and looked at him incredulously, _'I'm going home?! Back to Toranku Island?'_ I thought with hope. At my look, the man chuckled, "Yes, my small charge, I'm telling you the truth. After I found that eternal pose on your person, I decided to find out what happened to the remaining Ki no Hitobito." Vegapunk pulled out a strange, hourglass-looking glass ball thing with a compass needle inside of it. If I looked close enough, I could see the the word 'Toranku' inscribed in the two wood bases. What was that thing, and how did it get into my possession? Apparently, Vegapunk had found it on me and now he is taking me home. Everything about that eternal pose thingie was suspicious, but my excitement about going home overshadowed it.

I stopped and frowned then. I was not going home on my own, Vegapunk was coming with me. All this to do with the 'trip' to my home island was to satisfy his curiosity? If that's the case, I kinda don't want this guy poking around my island. My chest ached with longing at the mention of my island, that blessedly green place that was always perfect for growing things. I just want to go home, to be away from this place. I longed for the sounds of cicadas on warm nights, the winds rustling through the leaves of hundreds of trees as I lay in my bed. The loving voice of my Jii-san, the shaman of the family, telling stories of times long gone. The five of us all sitting happily in the packed dirt around the huge stump that served as our table. The smiling faces of Kaa-chan, Nee-chan, Tou-san, and Jii-san's grin around his pipe.

My family, all that I have.

Had.

A blinding pain shot across my head as memories of those dreams came back. Fire everywhere, with its thick, oily smoke choking the blue sky.

A cold hand was placed on my shoulder, and I looked up to see Vegapunk gazing at me sadly. I looked at him with pain in my eyes, pleading with my very being that these dreams are just dreams and nothing more. He closed his grey eyes and shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry, Suchiruamu. Those... nightmares, really happened. A few days before you woke up for real and I gave you that pad of paper, you were screaming in terror about fire and... clowns for some reason. All the while begging for the lives of your... Kaa-chan, Nee-chan, Tou-san, and Jii-san, I believe."

I winced when he said 'clowns.' Not from a petty childish fear of them, as a matter of fact, I'd never seen a clown in my life before... _him_. "Clown" was just a sound when I was living with my family on Toranku island. Who would've know that those... things could be so terrifying when they are laughing maniacally and lighting a fuse on a cannon?

Vegapunk must have seen my pained expression because he placed a bundle of clothing on my bed. "I've taken the liberty of getting you some new clothes after I noticed that you were wearing nothing but a pair of burlap shorts, and thought that you might like something more comfortable." He gave me a half-grin, "How much do you like green?" He asked.

My eyes widened when I saw what was in the small bundle. I pulled out an emerald-colored shirt and a pair of brown cargo shorts. How did he know that green was my favorite color? The doctor ruffled my hair, causing my messy mop of pale green locks to go all over the place. Some got in my eyes and I almost facepalmed. Of course. My hair and eyes were green, so obviously he was going to give me something with a similar color. I looked at the shorts and shrugged, I guess brown works too. Brown like the dirt and green like the leafy expanse of Toranku Island. Reminders of my home were everywhere, making me more and more happy to be going back there.

The doctor tossed some wooden sandals with inch-high pegs onto the bed and I looked at them with a raised eyebrow_. 'I don't know how to walk in those!' _Vegapunk smiled, "Those are called geta sandals. Trust me, you're going to want to wear them when we go out of your room. I've kept this room nice and warm for you, but it's quite chilly on the stone floor outside and the obsidian of Oninoiwa Spire is slippery when wet." I pouted when he said this. _'I'm going to have to be cold? Aww. I hate the cold.'_ I cast a look at the wood sandals and my face dropped, _'I'm gonna have to learn how to walk on these 'geta' things, too.'_

"Don't worry, we're going to your island! Isn't that what you've wanted ever since you got here?" The doctor asked. I nodded vehemently and slipped the shirt on, wrestling with the arm holes before coming out victorious. Vegapunk ruffled my hair again and said, "Ne, Suchiruamu, do you still have that pad of paper I gave you? I just want to look at it for a sec before I give it back." I was puzzled as to why he was going to give it back but fished it out from where it had been underneath my pillow.

He glanced at it before stuffing it in one of the pockets on his lab coat. "I'm going to leave for a moment while you get dressed. Tap on the glass over there when you're done." He said, pointing to the black, reflective surface on the wall. _'Huh, I thought that was a mirror.'_ I mused.

The scientist opened the door after telling Violette (whoever that was) to unlock it, and exited the room. The door swung shut and air hissed from its sides as the heavy metal secured itself to the wall, becoming impenetrable once more.

I looked at the shorts and sandals and shrugged. Might as well get this over with. '_I hope he reads what I wrote, getting called Suchiruamu all day is getting old.'_

Outside, Vegapunk snorted as he read the yellow pad of paper. _Um, hi._ It wrote, What kind of greeting was that? _My name really isn't 'Suchiruamu,' I was named Andoru by my Kaa-chan. Her name is Kiku. Back on Toranku Island, I lived with Kaa-chan, my Nee-chan named Riki, my Tou-san who was named Hansu, and old Shaman Jii-san. Kaa-chan never told me his name. By now I'm starting to think that he never had a name, because even Tou-san called him Jii-san._

The writing stopped there, but there were a couple of doodles on the bottom half of the page, suggesting that the boy got bored with writing. Vegapunk chuckled and was about to put the paper away when he heard Suchiruamu, now revealed to be named Andoru, rap his knuckles sharply on the glass. Vegapunk raised an eyebrow. That was quick. Well, Vegapunk did leave when the boy was almost finished, so it made sense that he would be done speedily.

The doctor smiled as he opened the metal door, Andoru must have been quite eager to go home. He held his arm out for the boy to grasp, but he only wrinkled his nose at it and crossed his arms. "Whatever you say, Andoru." The doctor said, watching the boy's face light up at the mention of his name. With a flourish, Vegapunk flipped the pad around and presented it to the boy, who took it with a puzzled expression. The doctor raised an eyebrow with an amused look, "Well, how do you think we are going to communicate if you can't talk?" He asked, slipping a pen from one of his sleeves and holding it to Andoru. The boy took it with a look of understanding and nodded to the doctor with a smile.

"Well then, we'd best be on our way, my small friend. Your home island is waiting."

**[l]**

* * *

After countless hallways and even a few staircases of wobbly walking, I finally got the hang of walking in the wooden sandals given to me by Vegapunk. We had even gone into this tiny room that Vegapunk called an 'elevator'... whatever that was. It felt funny when we were inside of it, like I suddenly became lighter and I laughed. 'Elevators' were fun! We were in the strange room for about ten minutes and I could overhear Vegapunk muttering something about 'Stupid tall-ass towers.' I wonder what that was about?

We exited the small room and walked some more. So focused was I on travelling with my new footwear that I nearly smacked into the wall that seemingly appeared out of thin air. Even so, I backpedaled sheepishly and saw that the two of us had come to a dead-end. _'Did this guy just lead me to a wall to nowhere? This isn't getting me home any faster.'_ I thought. With this mind frame, I cast an unamused look to Vegapunk, who simply twinkled his eyes in the opposite emotion and tapped his arm. "Violette, open up bay thirteen. It's time for Suchiruamu and I to go." He said. I frowned at him going back to calling me "Steel-arm," but he just shrugged helplessly. "It's what I programmed Violette to recognize you as, Andoru. The problem is now out of my hands." He explained.

_'Doesn't mean I have to like it, you old geezer.'_

The ground shuddered and I fell to the stone floor, stupid sandals tripping me up. Sure enough, the floor was cold and I hissed, trying to get up as fast as possible. I'd rather not be cold, thank you very much. When I returned to my previous position, I noticed that the entire dead-end was gone. The first thing I noticed was the raging waves of the Grand Line smashing against something solid. It had to have been, otherwise, the seas would've claimed whatever it was hitting long ago. Instead of cold, grey walls, there was now a brightly lit outcropping of... black pebbles? They looked really cool, like shiny gemstones. I was about to pick one up when the sound of Doctor Vegapunk made me pause. "These rocks are called obsidian, a rare kind of glass formed when lava cools quickly. The entirety of Oninoiwa Spire is made of the stuff, so go ahead and take some. Who knows, you might be able to sell it later for a pretty penny."

After hearing 'pretty penny,' I stooped down and stuffed all of my pockets (except the back pockets, that would be really uncomfortable) with the black glass. Luckily, the pieces weren't that sharp so they wouldn't poke me as I walked, that would have really sucked. Once I was finished, I took a look around to see that Vegapunk and I were standing on a black platform overlooking a huge sheltered cave. The sun was the only illumination in the place, casting its pale, white rays into the smooth beach of volcanic glass. There were huge logs pounded into the black sand, intended for multiple large ships to be tied off to. As a matter of fact, there was a sturdy-looking ship docked there now. It was a wide, short ship, obviously meant to be manned by a small crew. Strangely, it was constructed from steel plating, and had an odd-looking dark grey stone lining the bottom of it. There wasn't any sails on the machine, but there were two rotors that poked out of the water. The Marine symbol of the rounded 'M' and wrench was proudly displayed on the cabin that completely dominated the top deck. There was hardly any room near the bow or the stern for standing or doing activities.

Vegapunk started walking to the right, down a staircase hewn directly from the wall of obsidian and I jerked myself into motion to follow him. Getting down stairs in clunky sandals was quite the journey, but I managed it with nary a slip up. right as we reached the ship, I jogged up to the doctor with the geta slapping against my feet noisily and tugged on his lab coat gently.

He turned around and raised an eyebrow, "Yes? What is it Andoru?" The cyborg asked. I pointed to the ship bobbing in the water and he smiled. "Ah, yes. That is my trusty VegaShip, Model: IV, VM4 for short. This baby has some of my finest work in it. As long as it is in the sun is shining, the VM4 can shoot across these Grand Line waves like they're nothing. The idea to have the sun powering my ships is actually one that I've had for a while, but studying your... unique ability to heal quickly gave me the inspiration to finish it. This is mostly based off of the photosynthetic processes of leaves and..." The doctor trailed off, seeing my blank look, "Never mind all of that, all you need to know is that the VM4 is powered by the sun. To top it all off, there is a mobile laboratory in the ship."

My eyes widened, _'Does this mean that we're staying at Toranku Island permanently?'_ I thought, filling to burst with hope. My home island was infinitely better to stay at than a cold, emotionless spire looking over an endless expanse of waters choked by poison. As if he read my mind, Vegapunk grinned widely, "Yes, Andoru, the two of us are staying at your island until the completion of project Regrowth, which is going to last for about... a year at most." I scratched my head and looked at Vegapunk with an air of inquisition on my face. "Ah, yes, I'll tell you about it later, as you are the main focus of it. Right now, all you need to know is if I don't get project Regrowth finished, some very bad things are going to happen to everything in the world."

I gulped nervously, making my throat ache uncomfortably, and not from my sore throat. Whatever this 'project Regrowth' thing was, it needed to get done. At the same time, butterflies fluttered in my stomach after hearing that 'Regrowth' was focused entirely on me. What if it needed me to die? Or maybe it transforms me into some kind of... thing, that isn't me? Like, some sort of twisted monster! My hands started to tremble, and I shoved them into my pockets, ignoring the scraping and cuts of the obsidian against my hands.

Vegapunk must've heard the rustling of the glass in my pockets because he smiled at me in a comforting way and placed a hand on my shoulder, crouching down until our eyes met. "Don't worry Andoru. I swear that nothing bad will happen to you. After this is all done, somebody is going to pick you up and take you to a place where you can train and become so strong that you can overcome any obstacle that comes your way."

His words soothed me like nothing he had ever said to me before. The flutters of nervousness diminished, but did not disappear. The void left by the nerves was replaced by determination. "After what happened, I think you know that your life will never be the same, Andoru." I nodded firmly, the screams of my family ringing in my ears like they had never stopped. Vegapunk's smile dropped and his grey gaze became very intense, "Your will is going to be unmovable, and you will become part of a new generation of men, a generation that is incorruptible! You will wield power justly, and use it to help fix this broken world that we live in."

His grey eyes had lit up with a righteous will that burned with an unyielding ferocity, and he spoke to me softly. "But be warned, your path will not be an easy one. You will come across obstacles that you think will never go passed, but you must never give up! Listen closely Andoru, the Gorosei will unleash a terrible evil upon the world if they ever get their hands on you, and if project Regrowth is not finished in their timeframe, they will unleash it on their own. So you must never become a Marine!"

"Come with me, Suchiruamu Andoru to your home island, and you will take the first step to becoming Great." Doctor Vegapunk finished, standing up tall to make his appearance more grandiose.

He held out a flesh-colored metal hand for me to grab, an offer that I could not possibly refuse. It would be foolish not to.

After what he said, I stood there like a statue, trying to digest what I'd just been told. I needed to guide my own destiny, and he pretty much gilded the driveway so that I could go onto the road of life a step ahead of the others.

Vegapunk had me, hook, line, and sinker, and we both knew it.

I took his cold hand and together, we jumped onto the metal ship.

**[l]**

* * *

A**N: Yaay! You are all undoubtedly really happy that this chapter is done because this means I write a chapter of Juuichi now!**

**I really can't think of anything else to say right now. I might think of something later, but I know that people really don't care about author notes.**

**Ja Ne.**

**The-Lancer-of-the-Sun, signing off.**


	2. Chapter 2: Toranku Island

**Chapter 2: Toranku Island**

**AN: Hello there, my friends. I have for you another chapter of my story. I honestly don't have much to say in this note, as I'm listening to music that clears my mind, so forgive me. We are going to continue the story of Suchiruamu Andoru, the sole survivor of his kind.**

**Goodness! Wasn't I terrible at writing back then or what? Jeez, I never want to go back to that kind of writing ever again. At what point did I think that was acceptable?**

**Please review if possible. It would be much appreciated if you did. Also, if you have any ideas to what kind of enemies you'd like to see, let me know and I'll see what I can do.**

"Speech."

_'Thought'_

**"Attacks! (Translations!)"**

**[l]**

* * *

Vegapunk stared out into the endless blue expanse that was the ocean and closed his eyes. He wished that he could have been standing on the bow of the VM4 enjoying the spray as the science vessel shot through the waters, but other matters had to be attended to. With a sigh, he pushed up his right sleeve and tapped on the screen of his cybernetic arm. _'Might as well get it over with.'_

He cleared his throat and was about to speak when the sound of retching interrupted him. Vegapunk groaned in frustration and rubbed his forehead. "Just when I was about to start the recording!" With force uncalled for, Vegapunk stopped recording and dragged the file into a small box labelled 'trash.' After that was done, he took quick steps to the small hatch in the floor, his cybernetic legs making metallic pings with every footfall. He heaved it open and slid down the ladder to belowdecks.

The cyborg doctor made his way through the small coat room that greeted him and opened the door to the small common area and kitchen. In the small room was a stove near a sink and two chairs facing each other. Vegapunk payed no mind to the furnishings of the room as he went over to the door on the right. He tugged on his lab coat and ran a hand through his greying hair, preparing himself for whatever disgusting mess he'd have to clean up next.

He eased the door open and breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Andoru hadn't spewed all over the place, he was just dry heaving. _'Thank Kami! He has no idea how difficult it is to get that stuff out of the floor!' _The poor boy had an awful case of seasickness, and Vegapunk hoped desperately that it would pass soon. Just because he was a doctor didn't mean that he enjoyed having one-on-one time with a sickly patient, especially after the both of them ate. That was one thing he could have gone through life without seeing.

The doctor went to Andoru's bedside and sat in the small chair he had set up, "Would you like me to sedate you for the remainder of the trip? You'll be fine, I promise."

**[l]**

* * *

Andoru

When I heard Dr. Vegapunk say those words, there was nothing that could describe the relief I felt. I nodded slowly, even presenting an arm to him. The doctor smiled and pushed my limb back down gently, "No, there's going to be no needles here." He pulled a small orange bottle with a white lid out from his lab coat pocket. He shook the container, and I heard the rattling of something hard inside the bottle. "Just swallow one of these capsules."

I graciously accepted the small yellow pill that he offered me with a bit of apprehension and waited while Vegapunk stood up to get a small glass of water from the sink in the common area.

I stared at the yellow thing in my hand speculatively, _'Can I trust him? How can I be sure that after I take this, he won't just take me back to that big black rock place?'_ I pursed my lips and my brow furrowed, _'I can't. I can't trust him yet. I don't know him well enough that I would put faith into whatever he does.'_ The ship dipped suddenly and I grimaced as my stomach lurched again. I curled up into the fetal position and let out an approximation of a groan. _'That means I have to deal with this for the rest of the trip!'_

The doctor returned with a rather dainty-looking crystal goblet filled with water. My stomach settled somewhat and I was able to roll over on the bed I was on. Vegapunk placed the glass on the small nightstand near my head and settled back into the chair. Slowly, I got into a sitting position and took in deep, even breaths.

The doctor looked at me with curiosity in those steely eyes of his, "Are we having second thoughts?" I looked at the pill one last time before offering it back to him. He accepted it with a nod and a teasing smile, "I understand. You just want to tough it out like a man, don't you?"

I gave him a wry look,_ 'Yeah, and while I'm at it let me slay the evil pirate and rescue the princess. Of course I don't want to be like this you moron. I just want to be home!'_

Vegapunk let out a bark of laughter and stood up, "The water is there if you want it. I just hope you grow to trust me in the future. After all, your future is in my hands."

After he left, I flopped back down onto the bed and groaned again, _'I hate the ocean.'_

**[l]**

* * *

"Vegapunk progress report, fourteen months, eleven days, six hours, fifty-eight minutes, four seconds and counting since assignment of project Regrowth. Suchiruamu and I are nearing Toranku island and will be there within the day. I am grateful for the VegaShip Model IV otherwise this journey would take weeks instead of the scarce number of days it took."

"Once I arrive at Suchiruamu's home island I must work quickly. I have been forced to remain idle for too long without doing any work. If there is any hope for me to finish this devil fruit and get Suchiruamu out of the hands of the marines, I must finish it within the year-and-a-half timeframe I was given." Vegapunk sighed and ran a hand through his graying hair.

"Thankfully I have not been laying around and twiddling my thumbs for this past year. I have two of the three devil fruits needed. If everything goes as planned, the paramecia that I have will provide as a catalyst for the fusion of the logia I have and the zoan I am hoping to get." Vegapunk stretched and cracked his knuckles, the specially designed cybernetic arms making a satisfying popping sound. Cracking his knuckles was an awful habit that the doctor never really could rid himself of, so he integrated small fibers into the joints of his robotic fingers that would pop when bent in a certain way.

"I am so close to the Torio no Mi, yet so far. I can feel a terrifying anticipation welling up within me. I know for a fact that there is a devil fruit on Toranku island, and it has a ninety-nine point six-five chance of being zoan if my sensor arrays back on Oninoiwa Spire are to be trusted. There is a certain wavelength that devil fruits give off that can only be identified by the most precise and sensitive sensors. The only one existing to this day is the one I personally own back on Oninoiwa. Even saying this technology exists is extraordinarily dangerous for me to be recording."

"I can only hope that all goes well. I don't want Suchiruamu to end up as a disfigured monster like so many of my other test subjects have been." He laughed humorlessly, "Is it so bad that I want to have a legacy that makes a change for the good in this world? If it comes down to it, I will work myself down to the circuitry to ensure the Torio no Mi is not a failure like all the others." He said. The doctor got a haunted look in his eyes, "I do not wish for the boy to suffer in agony before his life gets snuffed out. I refuse to have my legacy die."

The doctor tapped the screen. There was complete silence for a moment until Violette said, hesitatingly, "Recording... terminated."

"Thank you... Violette." The doctor said. He lowered his face into his hands and collapsed into the comfy leather chair next to him. He took in a shuddering breath, "Silent as the grave." He spoke. All machines in the room shut off and shades slid down over the windows, creating an inky blackness.

A purple glowing hologram of a woman's face appeared in front of him. Violette pursed her holographic lips, "As you wish, Doctor Vegapunk. I will monitor the boy." Slowly, she faded from view, leaving the man truly alone in the room.

Vegapunk leaned back and let his tears fall, safe from any prying eyes in the darkness. He looked up into the blackness, thinking about the woman he based his artificial intelligence after. "Violette..." He whispered, "You're bringing old demons up again. I vowed to never do this damnable devil fruit experiment after what happened to you." He sniffed, "And yet, here I am again, about to ruin another innocent life. Why must you torture me like this? You know as well as I do that what happened was a mistake." He trailed off.

The silent room offered no consolation to Vegapunk. His eyebrows knit together furiously, "You left me all alone! And I watched as the life faded from your eyes!" Vegapunk tore his glasses off of his face and threw them against the wall as hard as he could. They shattered into hundreds of pieces and the frame clattered onto the floor. "I will never forgive the Gorosei for what they did to me! This is all their fault! They forced me to make a devil fruit and you died because of it! Now... I'M HERE AGAIN DOING THE SAME THING! DAMN YOU GOROSEI!"

He slumped back down into his chair, defeated, "Violette... Why? Why did you die? Why did you leave me all alone?"

**[l]**

* * *

"Andoru!" Vegapunk called from the upper deck.

I gasped and bolted upright in the bed. After what felt like an eternity, I had been able to quell the churning in my gut for long enough to get some much needed rest. Because of that little nap, I was now in a much better mood. I swung my legs over the side and slipped the geta sandals on. Once they were secure, I rubbed my eyes and stood up, swaying a little from the ship's bobbing. I made my way past the common area and went up the metal ladder to the wheelhouse.

I looked around and spotted the doctor's glasses on the floor, broken. I picked them up in curiosity then shrugged. Whatever the reasons Vegapunk did anything was a mystery to me. I placed the broken spectacles on Vegapunk's metal shelf thingie. I had no idea what it was called, but I know it had something to do with the ship if all the dials and levers were to go by.

My sandles clacked against the metal flooring as I joined the doctor outside. Once I felt the sun on my face, I closed my eyes and basked in the warmth. I sighed happily and Vegapunk looked down at me with a smile, "You like the sun, don't you?" I nodded, still with my eyes closed. Then he said, "Well, you had best open your eyes, young Andoru. There's something you need to see, and I'm not sure if you want to see it." His voice was grim.

I opened my green eyes and gasped in horror at what I saw. Toranku island as I remembered it was no more. All that remained of the towering forests that I called home was black towers of destroyed trees. Like so many dead hands thrust into the sky, not a single tree remained untouched. My legs lost their strength, and I fell to my knees. "I... I... Wha..." I was speechless. Suddenly the sunshine didn't seem so friendly anymore. "No..." I whispered. A wind started to pick up, tossing my hair around and the sky began to darken.

The doctor turned his face upwards and closed his eyes. I thought I heard him say something, but whatever it was got snatched up by the wind. Softly, Vegapunk's hand came on my shoulder. I was too much in shock to shake it off. "Come Andoru, we must stay here until the storm passes."

I gave him a teary-eyed look. _'I don't want to be here at all! I want my family back! I want Kaa-chan! I want Tou-san! I want Riki! I want Shaman Jii-san!'_

The doctor left me kneeling alone on the deck just as the first fat drops of water came down. I felt the ship rumble to life and we started moving closer to what used to be Toranku island.

My grandpa, Jii-san, used to always say that a Grand Line storm was all the angels in Heaven crying over our ancestors. I remember the stories he told when our family sat around the stump at night. In that gravelly voice of his, he would recount how our ancestors were created by a branch of the great tree Yggdrasil falling to the Earth, the stories of how we Kigi no Hitobito came to be. That would be our evening entertainment. It took about a month for Jii-san to go through the entire story of my people, from our creation, all the way down to the Great Sacrifice.

"Andoru. We're here." Vegapunk said. He was holding a large sack on his back and he had put his blue 'science' hat back on.

I nodded and got off of my knees. I didn't even feel the rain pelting my body as Vegapunk and I walked into the desecrated forest. Jii-san said that each tree on Toranku island was a body of a Ki no Hitobito, so we should never harm them as they have seen fit to provide for us even after their death with food. I remember Riki laughing at him until he proved her wrong the day Obaa-chan died. Right in front of our eyes, our stern Obaa-chan told us she loved us then her feet sunk into the ground and her legs fused together. I remember her raising her hands into the sky and her entire body froze, fading from her normal pale color to brown wood in seconds. Then green leaves sprouted at her fingertips and where her hair used to be. I cried that day.

_'Now look at them Jiji. They're all gone. If you could see our people now...'_

My mind guided me while my eyes became filled with the horrible sight. Not before too long, I came to a rest in front of the blackened remains of the Chief's hut. What used to be a living house was now a dead, black mound with a doorway and two windows. Seeing as there was no chief when my family and I were around, this is where we lived. I looked back at Doctor Vegapunk who was standing there in the rain with his hands behind his back. So thick was the rain by now that our surroundings became dull grey shapes. I beckoned him inside and turned to walk in. Hesitatingly, he followed.

The inside fared no better than the outside. There was no furniture any more, only black lumps on the floor. The only thing that survived was the walls and the one flower pot on the windowsill. I went over to it and picked it up. Jii-san planted the flower that remained here. He said that it was the most delicate thing he could find, if any bad thing happened to it, it would die. It was an omen that things were going to drastically change. When I asked him if the change was good or bad, he just smiled past his pipe and said, 'I don't know. It's all up to what you decide to do.'

But here it was, the frail stem hardly holding up an orange bell-shaped bulb.

"Strange." Doctor Vegapunk said, "A single flower remains alive while everything else dies." He set his bag down, and pulled two sleeping bags from it. "The storm should subside tomorrow."

I cleared my throat, and was mildly surprised to find that it didn't hurt. So I tried talking. "Why..." I said with a scratchy voice. "Why did we come here? We could have stayed at the black rock place, instead you chose to come here. Why?"

The doctor sat down on his sleeping bag and looked me in the eyes searchingly. Finally he said, "Is it the truth you are looking for, Andoru?" He crossed his legs and leaned back, bracing himself with his arms. "Then I will tell you." He looked at the ceiling.

"Some time ago, I was told to create a devil fruit by the Gorosei. They said they wanted to make the world peaceful once more, that they were afraid of any of the ancient weapons being revived. I was told that the Great Pirate Age must be stopped 'at any cost.'" Vegapunk shook his head. "So I tried." He gained a lost look in his eyes, "My... friend, Violette was there with me the entire time. Subject after subject perished until we finally figured it out. We couldn't mix more than one devil fruit power _inside_ the body, but outside was a different matter. After seeing so many people die, we had a falling-out. Violette took a brief vacation to leave me to work alone."

He swallowed, "While she was absent, I figured it all out. One fruit had to provide the energy for all three to combine and become a single greater devil fruit. The end result was a devil fruit with the power of all three types. Paramecia, logia, and zoan all combined into one item of extraordinary power." He breathed in shakily and looked at me with sad eyes.

"Then everything went horribly wrong." He said. My eyes were glued to him and I didn't dare stop him.

"The three parts of the fruit fought against one another. Then Violette came back to Oninoiwa Spire. I had left the Torio Mizu no Mi in a display case so the excess energy could bleed off safely, but Violette found that blasted thing. She thought it was for her as a make up gift for making her upset, and she ate it."

Vegapunk was desperately trying to keep his composure, so he got up and turned around. Making sure his face was hidden from view. "She died. The Torio Mizu no Mi literally tore her to pieces. I found her struggling to stay alive in the foyer. When she saw me for the last time, she told me that she loved me. Then the vibrant light in her eyes that I can still remember to this day faded away. Violette's body disintegrated into water... I poured her remains into the sea. She had always wanted that. The next day, there was a thick, putrid purple fog over the ocean. That was the origins of the Miasma. My compatriot, Caesar Clown discovered this and suggested we try again, arguing that the death of Violette was just a fluke and it wouldn't happen again. He just wanted to see the test subjects suffer."

The hands behind Vegapunk's back clenched, "So disgusted was I, that I evicted him from _The Cube_ and set its defenses to recognize his biometrics with a 'kill on sight' order." His metal hands groaned under the stress, so he let up on the pressure, "I was distraught, and I vowed to never again make a devil fruit to 'end the Great Pirate Age.'" He turned around and held his hands in front of his face, "And yet, here I am again fifteen years later. A failure. Filled with overwhelming self-loathing because I couldn't save the thing that mattered the most. I couldn't save the sweet, sweet Violette..."

He looked at me past his hands, "You ask me why we are here Andoru? We are here to find the zoan devil fruit that will complete the set of three. To make the Torio Mokuzai no Mi and train you so that you can change the world. I do this to ensure the Gorosei never unleash a terrible evil and kill us all."

I set the plant back on the windowsill, careful not to disturb it too greatly. "But why me, Doctor Vegapunk?" I said gently.

He lowered his hands, "Why you? Quite simple actually. You're the only living Ki no Hitobito on this planet. It is because of what you are, that you can survive eating a Torio no Mi." He leaned in to look at me intensely, "Do the legends not say that the Great Sacrifice left the remainders of the Ki no Hitobito without the magnificent power they have once held? The excess power from the Torio Mokuzai no Mi would fill in that void, then your body would safely integrate the three devil fruit abilities."

My hands shook in terror. Nobody knows the legends but Jii-san, and he's gone. How does Vegapunk know? "M-my ancestors stripped the power away so nobody could reawaken the monster they trapped." I physically felt all of the blood draining from my face, "Oh Kami above... that's what they want to do..." I said.

Vegapunk nodded, "Exactly. Now you see why I so desperately want to prevent you from becoming a marine. If the Torio Mokuzai no Mi is not made and you do not get the power, then the Gorosei will forcefully unleash the monster."

My eyes were wide as saucers, "But they can't!"

"They can, and they will."

At this I dashed over to Vegapunk and took one of his metal arms, dragging the man behind me. "I know what fruit you are talking about! We need it right away if we are gonna stop them!"

The doctor stumbled a little bit before regaining his stride, "Now hold on just a moment!" He protested to me. But I wasn't listening. The two of us went back out into the rain.

Behind me, the orange flower wilted slightly. The omen of change that Jii-san had predicted was coming.

**[l]**

* * *

There was a chamber, below the roots in the largest tree on the island. Jii-san said that this cave was where the great treasure of Toranku island was hidden. Back then, the word treasure was just that, a word. Meaning only what I was told it meant by Jii-san. "Something of value." I had always thought it meant expensive, but now, after what happened with the man that set my island on fire, the word treasure gained a whole new meaning.

Treasure, according to that man was a measure of material wealth. I learned that day a lesson I will never forget, treasure can drive men crazy.

"Come on, Doctor! I should call you lazy-punk with how slow you're going. We need to stop these Gorosei people from destroying the world!"

He huffed as he tried to keep pace, "And I'm telling you we have about a year to make the fruit before you escape! Can't we at least go slower?!" I turned around and saw the old man put his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. "Ugh! Why didn't I pack the explorer cybernetics? The laboratory casual model really isn't cutting it these days!"

I paused and looked through the rain. Not seeing the small tunnel, I shrugged, "Sorry, Doctor. I forgot how old you really are."

He scoffed, "Ha! I'm only fifty-one you little brat! I'll remember that comment for when I'm putting you through conditioning. I'll make you eat those words, that's a promise!" He straightened up, cracking his back, "But... we do need to slow the pace. My cybernetics are made for walkin'."

I shrugged, "Okay." and waited patiently for Vegapunk to compose himself.

After a couple of minutes, he walked up next to me, "Alright, Andoru. Tell me about this devil fruit. What does it look like? How big is it?"

We started to walk in the rain, and I put a hand on my chin. "Well... It's green and it glows. It's about as big around as a cabbage, and has brown swirls on the outside. That's all I can really remember about it though. Jii-san called it the 'treasure of Toranku.'"

"Treasure..." The doctor echoed. "If you're calling the devil fruit a 'treasure' then it must have been around for a long time. Is that the case?" He asked.

I shrugged, "Yeah."

We fell into an awkward silence as we strode in the dirt path that was getting progressively muddier. I wanted to talk about something, I don't like the silence. Even the sound of rain hitting leaves would be good. _'Seeing as how there's no leaves, that's not happening.'_

Vegapunk must have sensed my desire to converse, "So Andoru, what happened?" He gestured all around him. "I know you said something about fire and clowns, but that's rather vague as a person with literally two sticks can start a fire."

I looked down at my feet, trying to remember what happened.

There was a flash of pain in my head that ran from temple to temple, and like sludge, my memories of that horrible day came back to me.

"Well, it all started when Kaa-chan dumped me into Nee-chan's lap while she made something to eat for supper..."

**[l]**

* * *

I was hoisted into the air by my armpits and bodily thrown out the open door. "WAAAH!" I yelled before landing solidly in the dirt, effectively scuffing my knee. I hissed quietly and heard my Kaa-chan yelling to my Nee-chan, Riki.

"Riki! Take your brother while I work. He's being a pest and I don't want him to mess up this sauce I've been working on all day!"

Riki sighed, "Hai, hai. Of course Kaa-chan." My sister said. She walked over to my crumpled form in the dirt and placed her hands on her hips. "Now look what you've done, Doru! I have to watch you until Kaa-chan takes you back. Why can't you ever behave?"

Like all Ki no Hitobito, Riki had poison-green eyes, mint-green hair, pointed ears, and unnaturally pale skin. Her eyes were slightly angled and had the softer edges to them just like Kaa-chan did. Her nose was petite and delicate, with a spray of freckles across its bridge. Riki had pouty lips, which combined with her eyes, never failed to coax out an extra goodie from Kaa-chan after supper was over. Seeing as how Riki was twelve, she was taller than me by about a foot and a half and never ceased to lord that fact over my head.

I pouted and stuck my tongue out, "S'not my fault you suck at drawing. Even Kaa-chan knows you're bad so she has you take care of me instead!"

She whapped me on the back of the head, messing up my traditional topknot Kaa-chan had ever so carefully tied this morning. "Hey!" I protested, "That took a long time to do!"

"Maybe you should learn to suck less at insulting people."

"That's not even an insult!"

I looked at her, still with my bottom lip out and my arms crossed. She decided to humor me and we started a staring contest. After a couple seconds, my eyes started to water terribly and I leapt back with a yelp, rubbing them furiously.

She smiled at me with superiority, "Ha. I win again. That makes it, what, five billion to three?"

I waggled my finger in front of her face, "You know that I won four times! Don't try to hide it!"

She snorted and told me to stay put while she got something to drink for the two of us. It was a scorcher of a day, but the intense sun only served to fill me with more energy. I don't know why, but Jii-san says it is because we come from plants, so I believe him. I don't question what Jii-san says is true after Obaa-chan died. He's really smart.

Being such the genius I was, I decided to follow Riki inside. _'Maybe I can snatch a piece of bread while Kaa-chan isn't looking!'_ I laughed darkly over my despicable crime-to-be.

I decided not to make a grand re entry (as is my forte), and instead crept inside in a 'sneaky' way. My mischievous green eyes flicked around the room, looking for the mountain of freshly-baked rolls I know are made every midweek. Riki entered the room with two cups in her hands, sighed, and said, "I'm going to pretend I never saw this if you do my chores, m'kay? I'm going out to the garden to draw." With that, my sister left the house. I snickered, _'Fine by me!'_

As I was reaching for the most golden, glistening roll in the pile I heard my father exclaim. "Cha! Like, hello dude! Welcome to like, Toranku island! Not often we get visitors here!" My Tou-san, Hansu was a bit... eccentric, but my Kaa-chan always said he was 'quite the catch.' Whatever that meant. He's really good at riding big waves on a wooden plank, too. He calls it 'surfing.' What a funny guy!

Like the highly intelligent mind of supreme greatness I was, I chose to investigate. For science. I went (stealthily) over to the main doorway to get a look-see at what was going down. I peeked around the frame and saw perhaps the silliest man I could imagine.

The first thing that I saw was the big red nose on the guy's face. It was like a beacon in the sunlight. Next thing I saw was the gaudy orange coat and hat with white fur trimming. On the hat was a skull and crossbones symbol with a large red nose and crosses over the empty sockets. The clothing beneath the cloak was a bit more mundane. A horizontally-striped red and white shirt, a green sash serving as a belt, and blue jeans. He had on socks with the same designs as his shirt and pointed shoes.

The red-nose man smiled widely, showcasing his painted red lips and making crinkles around his already narrow eyes. He threw his head back and laughed nasally, "Gyahahaha! Maa, what a funny guy!" Red-nose stuck out a hand, which had a white creeper-glove on it. "The name is Buggy the Clown! I came here to have a flashy good time!"

Tou-san 'cha!'d and took the hand, "We're like, happy to have company!" They separated and Tou-san beckoned the clown inside, "Like, come on in bro!"

All this time I'd been stuffing my arms with rolls to see how many I could get before I was spotted. The two men entered the house and Tou-san saw me immediately.

Hansu had an afro the size of a bush and sideburns that went all the way down to his jaw. He had a naturally athletic build and never put a shirt on, only some baggy brown pants. He had a strong jaw, sharp eyes, a 'greek' nose, and a smile that could brighten the room.

We stared at each other for a few seconds before Hansu put a hand on his forehead and sighed deeply. "Andoru, like, what are you doing?"

I tried speaking around the roll in my mouth. "I bu'no."

"We've like, been over this before little dude. We all know that your mom makes like, the best food, but you can't just go and like, steal it all. Y'know?" He said. Hansu sidled up to Buggy and slung an arm over the clown's shoulders, "This is my like, youngest child. His name is Andoru." Tou-san elbowed Buggy in the ribs gently and the pirate's eyebrows twitched, "Y'gotta like, be careful around him. He's real sneaky. Don't like take your eyes off of him for too long or like, he's gonna steal something of yours." I swallowed the mouthful of bread in my mouth and gave the two adults a cheeky smile.

The clown pushed my father's arm off of him, "That's nice and all, but I'm going to need you to gather the rest of your people here so I can have a flashy chat with them." Buggy said with a strange glimmer in his eyes.

Hansu shrugged and turned to me, "Alright Andoru," He said, "Gather the rest of the family and like, let me talk with this dude here. Cha?"

Then my Tou-san held his fist up for me to bump. I paled, but with my bright complexion, it wasn't noticeable. After setting the rolls I had gathered back on the counter, I held mine up as well and our fists connected. He smiled softly, "Be like, good, cha?"

I nodded and ran out of the house as fast as I could. The fist bump was a secret signal we made up that meant 'danger!' and it was only used two other times in my life. To make sure that we escaped, Tou-san told us that our fists had to connect in a promise that we would try our best to get to safety. It was a pact that had worked for us so far. Both times were pirate raids, the end result of both of those being my family becoming the sole survivors of the Ki no Hitobito. I miss Uncle Jon and Aunt Koeda.

Running to the front yard, I checked around the firepit for Kaa-chan. When I couldn't find her, I pulled at my hair anxiously and ran around the side of the house

I found Riki in the back garden, sketching some of the flowers that were growing and humming to herself. "Neechan!" I whisper-shouted. She rolled her eyes lazily at me and cocked her head in mock-fascination. My lips tightened and I held out my fist. Riki gasped and dropped her notebook in favor of putting her hands in front of her mouth, "Please, tell me this is a lie!" I shook my head and wiggled my arm. She bumped the fist and put her hands on my shoulders, "Andoru, you have to run away to the cave near Eight Paths and wait for us, can you do that? I'll get Jii-san and Kaa-chan."

I nodded, "Tou-san told me to be good. That means hide until he finds us, so we need to go after we find Kaa-chan and Jii-san together!"

She shook my shoulders, sending my head bobbling a little, "No! You can't do that! I'm your older sister and I say to go and hide!"

I looked at her with watery eyes, "But I don't wanna go into the forest alone! It's scary!"

She leaned back and closed her eyes for a moment... She opened them up again and heaved a breath out, "Fine! But the moment we get Kaa-chan and Jii-san, you're leaving. Got it?" I nodded and she took my hand, "Okay, let's go."

Because Riki was older, she had a better memory of where everyone was. Jii-san was easy enough to come by as he was in one of two spots, the sitting room smoking his pipe in a rocking chair, or by the stump smoking his pipe in a rocking chair. This time, the wise old man was with Kaa-chan by the stump. When we spotted the two, Riki and I put on an extra burst of speed to reach them. "Kaa-chan! Jii-san!" Riki called out.

I skidded to a halt in the packed earth and heaved out a breath. When I straightened up, I held out my fist, mirroring Riki next to me.

Jii-san exhaled a cloud of thick smoke, "So... It happens again." He said in that enrapturing, scratchy voice of his. He rose from his chair like a king, with his head high and his back straight. Like Tou-san and myself, he went everywhere shirtless, but his status as village patriarch demanded that he wear a long, purple robe and carry the gnarled wooden staff that represented his leadership of the village. Jii-san was a proud, bald man who stood several heads taller than anyone else in the family. His green eyes had lightened to a mottled grey with age, and his stern, severe face was heavily creased with age. His most prominent feature, his large, beaked nose was perfect for looking down on people with. That added to his rather intimidating personality, made for a man that many would follow under.

But he was a leader without a people to lead. Our small family of four were the only inhabitants of the island.

Kaa-chan looked between us kids worriedly. Jii-san met my fist with his own while looking at Kiku expectantly. She sighed and sealed the pact. I slumped in relief. Now we were all bound to get away even if we die trying.

Jii-san, being the oldest and wisest looked around at us and said, "To the Eight Paths, where our fates shall be decided."

**[l]**

* * *

Vegapunk and I stood in one of the eight dirt paths all meeting at a central hub with a large fire pit in the center. The rain steadily pounded down on us, and there were numerous puddles on the ground. There were massive logs still on the pit, hardly burnt despite being the place the massive, island-consuming fire came from. In between two of the eight paths, there rose a massive, burnt tree, split in half down the center and missing its top. Between two of its roots was a small hollow. I pointed at it and the doctor followed my finger to the hole. "That's where the fruit is. There is a secret to getting inside the chamber it's held at, and no matter how much force you try to use in order to open it up, it won't break."

I looked at the firepit, though I dared not to, and saw what I dreaded the most. There in the pit, were two charred forms, burnt beyond recognition. I turned my face away and closed my eyes, letting the rain wash my tears away.

When I reopened them, I saw two more burnt bodies in the mud. One facedown near the pit, and the other sitting up with a ring of ashes around it.

I looked at the pit once more. Doctor Vegapunk placed his hand on my shoulder, "You don't have to continue the story, Andoru. I get it now."

I shook my head, ignoring him, "The pirates were smart. They were lazy as well. My guess is that they found the giant fire pit and decided to party here knowing that somebody had to come around eventually." I swept my hand around all eight of the paths, "This area is where the Ki no Hitobito would gather to make decisions and the village chief would issue commands."

"This was the hiding spot that we would go to because of one thing that could save us all, the fruit of power. The treasure of Toranku island."

I sighed and looked at the doctor, "We were all on our guard, but the pirates still surprised us. I barely got away. We're lucky the thing you're searching for, the fruit of power, is so well hidden and that the pirates were terrible searchers."

**[l]**

* * *

The four Ki no Hitobito entered into the Eight Paths clearing with a tense anticipation. The reason being the roaring fire that was never supposed to be lit unless the chief ordered it, and Jii-san hadn't left his chair all day.

I heard a rustling of leaves and paused, _'There's no wind today, only sun.' _I looked up into the trees around the Eight Paths and saw leaves drifting down to the earth. I met my grandfather's eyes and saw that he held a great sadness within them. Jii-san tapped his staff against the ground, "Come here, family. Come and sit down." He said. It was not a request. He sat down and laid his staff across his crossed legs.

We all went cross-legged on the ground as per Jii-san's example. "Listen." He said. "You are not going to like what will happen today. We are surrounded on all sides by pirates and we all know exactly what they're looking for."

The three of us nodded and bowed our heads. He blew out a smoke ring into the air. Jii-san lowered his voice and said, "Don't be so sad. We know how to open the chamber doors and these pirates don't, so our greatest treasure will be safe."

He closed his dimming eyes to suck in a large lungful of smoke, which he let go in a great sigh. "That does not excuse the fact that something very bad is going to happen. I know how greedy, treasure-seeking pirates think and I see no way that our entire family is going to survive."

With still shut eyes he said, "We are going to die today. These are not the cowardly words of a hopeless man, but the words of an aged man who knows how things work in the pirate age. Do not lose hope, my family, I have a plan. One that Hansu and I have agreed on if a situation like this ever arises. Let us pray to the ancestors and Kami above that my plan works."

Kaa-chan gasped, "Tou-san, you aren't saying..."

He cut her off with a sharp look, "Yes, I am. If the Ki no Hitobito are to survive, you have to go through with it."

Riki looked down and tears streamed down her face, "Jii-san. I don't want to die."

He leaned forward and put a calloused hand on both Riki and my shoulders. "My children. It'll be okay. Trust in your old Jii-san alright? You are going to be the last two Ki no Hitobito after this day is over. When I tell you to go, you will both run to the docks and into your uncle Jon's old fishing boat. Now children, bow your heads and join me."

We cast our gaze towards the Earth together and started mumbling quietly.

I heard the voice of my Tou-san, "And this is like, where we meet and make choices about what to do. There isn't anyone on the island so like, I got my family together here."

Hansu walked into the clearing with an arm slung over Buggy's shoulder as he spoke. The clown did not look even remotely amused by the familiar manner that Hansu was acting with him, and the pirate symbol painted onto his forehead was all scrunched up from Buggy's arched brows. The clown spotted us sitting in a circle with our heads down and grinned, "HA! Finally I get some flashy luck!"

Buggy lifted Tou-san's hand from his shoulder and shoved the afroed man to the ground. He stood over him angrily, "I'm not your 'buddy' or 'bro' or any other name you come up with! We're not friends, get it?!" The clown brushed some imaginary dust from his shirt, "Ugh! The flashy nerve of some people! Tie them up, but leave afro-man out." After patting himself down, he spread his arms grandly and shouted into the skies, "GYAHAHA! Alright boys, come on out! We're going to have a great time getting some treasure! Buggy Pirates, CELEBRATE! GYAHAHAHA!"

**[l]**

* * *

I pointed to the charred figure inside of the ash ring. "That's where the Buggy Pirates held us. Tou-san tried to fight, but Buggy was too good."

Lightning flashed and I walked over to the small hole nestled between the tree roots. "Like Jii-san said, there is a secret to opening the chamber of the fruit."

I turned to the doctor, "Do you happen to have a knife?"

**[l]**

* * *

My father stood in front of the four of us with his arms spread protectively, "I, like won't let you hurt them!" He said. We weren't exactly injured, more like our pride was. Jii-san, Riki, Kaa-chan and myself were all bundled together with thick ropes that allowed a little bit of movement. Buggy was so cruel that he had said earlier, "Let the ropes be loose, I want them to be able to embrace one another as they DIE!"

All around us, the Buggy Pirates were watching as they enjoyed themselves. Many barrels of sake had been pulled from their ship, _The Big Top_ and were being tapped for a grand feast. Some of the men were stationed next freshly-killed game as they roasted on the giant fire in the center of the clearing, impaled on large poles.

The captain of the circus pirate crew smiled, "We don't have to hurt anybody here, just tell us where your treasure is! That's all we came for after all!" One of his men passed him a large stein of beer and Buggy brandished it towards Hansu, "Maybe we'll even let you join in the party! Gyahaha! I'm such a nice guy that I'd leave you peacefully after taking your stuff."

His crew laughed heartily and raised their glasses in a toast, "KANPAI!" All of the pirates, including Buggy, raised their glasses to their faces and took massive quaffs, the drink spilling over past the rims.

When Buggy finished, he threw his mug off to the side and gave a happy smile, "You'd best take my offer. I personally know some guys that wouldn't hesitate to kill every last one of you!"

When Hansu didn't budge an inch, Buggy's joyous smile dropped. The pirate shrugged, "Maybe this guy needs to see what we can really do, eh boys?" The crew laughed at us. "Roll in the Buggy Ball Cannon!"

With malevolent grins, some of the men took up ropes that I hadn't noticed were on the ground and started pulling on them. Soon, a great black cannon with Buggy's crest on it rustled through the undergrowth. Buggy waltzed over to the weapon and ran a gloved hand on its glossy finish. He turned to us, "Let me show you all the flashy damage the Buggy Ball can do." He said. The pirates moved the cannon so that it was aimed at the giant tree between the two paths. I saw Jii-san tense.

Buggy pulled a match from his pants pocket and struck it against one of his crew member's faces, who was somehow already drunk out of his mind and dancing with the air. He placed the lit stick against the rope wick and we all watched in tense anticipation as it slowly burnt down.

I swear I saw the light coming out of the barrel of the cannon right before it fired. I felt arms come around me and a bare chest press against my back.

Jii-san would protect me.

"GYAHAHAHAHA!"

KABOOM!

Everyone flinched away from the noise of it firing and turned their backs to the tree, a smart idea. Well, everyone except for Buggy. He watched with a massive grin as one of my ancestors exploded into a rain of destructive spikes. An enormous chunk of wood was torn out of the trunk like a giant shark biting a giant cookie. The force of the blast was so great that the tree didn't fall in the direction of the missing chunk, but it got pushed backwards into its brethren.

My ears were ringing, but I barely heard Buggy shout at his crew to reload the devastating cannon. Jii-san let go of me and I saw Tou-san stand up from where he was crouching protectively over Kaa-chan and Riki.

For once, Tou-san wasn't acting all silly. I watched as my father stood up tall, just like Jii-san always does, and walked over to Buggy. The pirate turned to him with a raised eyebrow, "So, are you going to stand down? Or does this next Buggy Ball have to be aimed at your family?"

Then Tou-san did something I'd never expect him to do. As quick as a flash, my father reached back and drove his fist wrist-deep into Buggy's solar plexus. The pirate's eyes bugged out and he went down like a rock dropped into the ocean. As he was coughing and sputtering in the dirt, Hansu leaned down, "Don't you ever harm the forest of Toranku island again! These trees are sacred!"

I saw Jii-san and Kaa-chan's shoulders shaking as tears ran down Kaa-chan's face. "What's wrong?" I asked.

Jii-san turned to me and said angrily, "The tree that the bastard just shot down was Chief Toranku!" I gasped. Chief Toranku was the only woman chief, and the one to lead the Ki no Hitobito out of the plague-ridden drought by deciding to seal away the demon in the Great Sacrifice. She was a hero, and now her corpse has been desecrated. I had half a mind to go out there myself next to Tou-san and kick some sense into that Baka Buggy!

The Buggy Pirates were about to charge at Tou-san when the captain rose to his feet, "Stop!" He coughed out. "Don't kill him! If he wants to fight so badly, let him fight me." This pacified the raving pirates, who pulled back and started their revelry back up. This time though, they kept an eye on Tou-san. Buggy tugged on his shirt's collar as if it'd help him breathe, "Isn't that what you really want, you green-headed bastard?"

In response my father took two paces backwards and got into a low fighting stance, like he was about to sumo-wrestle Buggy into submission. The pirates took one look at Tou-san and burst out into laughter. Buggy was laughing so hard that he couldn't breathe, "J... Just shoot him with a Buggy Ball already! He's making a flashy idiot of himself! GYAHAHAHA!"

Still giggling madly, the pirates acquiesced to their captain's order and wheeled the cannon around to face the barrel at Tou-san. Buggy wiped a tear from his eye and sighed in mirth, "Alright _Yokozuna,_ what are your terms if you win this fight?"

Hansu braced an elbow against his knee then lowered his right hand down into the grass, "My family leaves this island safely, and you can kill me in revenge. I know you will be angered when I defeat you all, so I'm letting you take my life in return. As long as my family goes free."

Kaa-chan strained against the ropes, "Hansu, NO!" She cried.

Riki looked at Tou-san with wide eyes, "Papa? Is this true?"

Buggy laughed and before anyone could get a word in edgewise, said, "Deal accepted! Make room, boys, there's going to be a fight!" He turned to his crewmates, placing a hand next to his mouth like he was about to tell a big secret, "Not that much of a fight though!"

His crew laughed and they cleared a space for the two combatants.

Tou-san stood there with a stony expression, doing nothing but staring into Buggy's eyes with the intensity of a bird of prey. I saw sweat start to form on Buggy's forehead from the pressure Tou-san's calm, deadpan eyes exuded on him.

Buggy cracked under the pressure first. He stumbled backwards until he met the fuse of the Buggy Ball Cannon. Quickly, he struck the match and jumped to the side, hoping to avoid whatever attack that Tou-san did. But Hansu just stood there.

I saw the fuse disappear into the metal barrel. Tou-san plucked some grass from the ground and closed his eyes. I saw him mumbling something under his breath.

The Buggy Ball Cannon went off, striking Tou-san right in the chest. The four of us in the ropes screamed. A great smokescreen went up around the area, making the only source of light come from the giant fire in the middle of the clearing.

Through the red-tinted smoke I could see a silhouette of a man with a long, curved sword in his hand darting around the Buggy Pirates, cutting each one down where they stood.

The sounds of a blade cutting into flesh and the sounds of agony from the Buggy Pirates was the only thing I could hear until the smoke gradually cleared away.

When the smoke cleared fully, I saw Tou-san in a crouched position behind Buggy with a long green katana with a serrated edge in his hands. He stood up slowly, and I saw that his bare back and legs were as brown as the bark covering my ancestors and his skin was covered in the blood of all the Buggy Pirates he killed. Said pirates were either on the ground, dead or on their knees about to die. Sadly he couldn't them all, so some of Buggy's crew were still alive and well. For some reason, Tou-san was lacking the magnificent afro he was so proud of.

The captain of the crew was stock-still with an expression of shock on his face. He had stood up when the smokescreen went into the air, and now he wobbled on his legs. Suddenly, the top half of Buggy slid off of his bottom half and onto the ground. Hansu dropped the elegant-looking katana and it turned into little pieces of grass as it drifted to the ground. **"Kusa no Ha. (Grass Blade)"** Tou-san whispered.

Then Buggy's head floated off of his body and spun around midair to glare at Hansu. Kaa-chan looked like she was going to be sick. The clown's face was as red as his nose and he was so angry that he was making little grunting noises. "You." Buggy spat, "WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE TO KILL MY MEN?! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU QUICKLY FOR THIS! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE EVER AGAIN!"

I got a face of disgust as the clown's bisected body rose from the ground and reattached itself. I was looking at a man who should be dead, and who's head was on backwards. With a harsh crunch, Buggy's head realigned itself to its proper position. He whipped around and with knives between all of his knuckles, said, **"Bara-Bara Dabaru HO! (chop-chop double cannon)"**

Buggy's knife-filled hands shot off of his forearms and sailed right in the direction of Tou-san's back. It seemed the wood on Tou-san was very hard, as the knives just glanced off, merely scratching Tou-san's pristine finish.

The woody look of Tou-san faded until his regular white skin returned. My father stood up and turned around to face Buggy, only to grunt and collapse to his knees. In his lower back were eight knives, all held by two white-gloved hands and all piercing Tou-san's vital organs. In a testament of Tou-san's strength, he didn't cry out once, he only panted and said, past lips leaking blood, "That was low. I could only hold the Uddobodi form for a short time and you waited until it dropped so you could stab me in the back."

Hansu rose to his feet slowly, teetering precariously, "Don't you know it's a swordsman's shame to have wounds on his back?" He said. Tou-san held his hand outstretched to show one last piece of grass in it. "I'm going to kill you with this, Buggy the Clown." Hansu clenched his hand around the blade of grass and it grew in his hand. As the grass grew, I watched in horror as Tou-san's body visibly become skinnier and he looked as if he was going to drop dead any second now. The grass writhed and lengthened until in Tou-san's hand was a short grass dagger. "Kusa no Ha."

Buggy sneered at Tou-san and let him approach. Hansu took staggering steps as the wounds in his back were starting to take their toll on him. "You see." Tou-san said, his voice barely audible, "My ancestors sealed away all of the power the Ki no Hitobito had so that we could never unleash the great demon on the world. Toranku was a very wise woman, but she made a mistake." He took another step, and blood cascaded onto the dirt. "She could never seal away the gift of sacrificing our very being to produce plant life. So we were able to still use the great power of our ancestors, but at a terrible price."

Tou-san's skin was stretched taut across his face, and his teeth were easily visible past his lips. He looked more like a walking corpse than anything else. "In return for power, the Ki's life energy would drain from them faster than a rushing river washes away a badly constructed dock."

Hansu finally reached Buggy and drew his hand into the air. Buggy looked at it fearlessly. "This," Tou-san said, "Is what I'm going to kill you with. My life ending, just to end yours!" With that, Hansu plunged the grass dagger right into Buggy's left eye and deep into his head. After his deed was done, Tou-san collapsed into the dirt, laying belly-down.

Buggy snarled and tore the weapon from his head. He dropped it onto the ground and crouched over Hansu, "I ate the Bara-Bara no Mi, you idiot! I can't be hurt in any way by blades!" The clown clicked his heels together and blades popped from the tips of his pointed shoes. "You, on the other hand, can!"

Time slowed down as Buggy drew his right leg back and swung his foot at the crown of Tou-san's head with all his might.

Shunk!

Riki managed to wiggle her way out of the ropes and started sprinting to the clown, "TOU-SAN!" She screamed. Because of the added slack, Kaa-chan was able to get out of the bindings and went after her, "HANSU! NO!"

They never made it over there. Two burly Buggy Pirates grabbed them by the waists and stopped them from advancing any further.

That's when the clown seemed to lose it. Buggy stormed up to Jii-san and put his face right in front of my stubborn grandfather's, "WHERE IS THE TREASURE OF TORANKU ISLAND?!" He roared.

Jii-san stoically held his ground, "I'll never tell you, _murderer_."

I could see blood vessels in Buggy's eyes popping as he screamed, "THEN THE OLD ONE DIES! **BARA-BARA HO! (Chop-chop cannon)**"

One of Buggy's hands tore itself out of Tou-san's body and rocketed right into Kaa-chan's ribcage, completely ignoring the bones. She didn't even have time to scream.

I, on the other hand yelled my lungs out. Tears swam freely down my face and snot fell in little streams down my chin. Even Jii-san was crying. His only daughter was now gone.

Buggy whirled back around, "TELL ME DAMN YOU! OR I SWEAR TO KAMI ABOVE THAT I WILL BURN DOWN YOUR ENTIRE ISLAND AND SALT THE EARTH BELOW! TELL ME DAMN YOU, TELL ME WHERE YOUR DAMN TREASURE IS!"

Still with tear dripping onto his ornate robe, Jii-san shook his head and replied thickly, "No! I won't give you anything!"

Buggy reeled back as if struck in the face, with an expression of shock. He growled out **"Bara-Bara Hadeni Gattai (chop-chop flashy reassemble)"** And I watched as his hands returned to him, his pristine white gloves now stained red. He walked over to his henchmen, "Throw the woman into the fire and give me the girl!" He demanded. Though slightly sickened, his crewmembers complied and passed Riki to Buggy, who held her by detaching his legs and wrapping them around her torso. I saw the Buggy Pirate toss Kaa-chan into the flames and I couldn't look any longer.

When Buggy forcefully dragged Riki over to Jii-san and I, I wanted to throw up. Buggy detached his head and floated it to Jii-san, "Tell me. Where. My. Treasure. Is."

Jii-san clenched his eyes shut, "No."

Buggy actually looked regretful, "Now the girl is dead because of you."

Buggy's hands sunk into Riki's stomach and neck, splattering blood onto Jii-san and I. I couldn't take it any longer, and I threw up all over the ropes in front of me, thankfully not getting any on me.

The Clown. The Murderer. The Ender of Races. Looked at Jii-san one last time with water in his eyes. "Please, tell me where it is your treasure is hidden." Buggy whispered, "I don't want to kill any more of you, but I need this treasure!" He pleaded, trying to justify this slaughter.

Jii-san sniffed, "You're completely mad..." He said.

I saw a shiver run up Buggy's spine. He turned to his crew. "Burn down the forest." Buggy said. His remaining men took logs from the central fire pit and threw them into the trees. Kami was not on our side today, giving us a hot day for the trees to more easily burn.

Giving me one last sad look, Jii-san enveloped me in a hug and shielded me with his body from the clown. "My treasure will always be the boy." He said.

Buggy's eyes widened and his arm swung backwards to slice Jii-san to ribbons. All the blood vessels in my grandfather's body glowed green and I felt an unknown energy filling me.

Jii-san slipped something into my pocket, "Go to the docks and escape this place Andoru.** Kodai no Ki ato: Mori no Ugoki! (ancient tree art: forest movement)**"

Buggy swung his right arm in an underhand arc that cut Jii-san horizontally from his right hip to his left shoulder. Jii-san's grip slackened before the blades even came, and I knew that my grandfather had died right there. After the knives exited Jii-san's shoulder, two of the blades raked savagely across my face, leaving two deep gouges in the left of my face going from my jaw all the way up to my forehead.

I screamed in pain even as I felt the ground below me drag me down into the earth below. The energy that had been pushed into me by Jii-san had made a little string going all the way to the other side of Toranku island. I was now covered completely by dirt and the little string gave a vicious tug, dragging me to its destination at blinding speeds.

When I reached the end of the string, the earth spat me out and I landed roughly in the sand. _'Sand?'_ The only sand on the island was at the docks. _'Oh ancestors, help me.'_

But my ancestors never responded. Or they did, I'll never know. Spray from a large wave hit me in the face and I coughed. I looked up and saw uncle Jon's fishing boat bobbing gently in the water. My throat tightened, and I staggered upright, still dizzy from the quick transportation.

Jii-san told me to get off the island, and I'll be damned if I don't get away from this place, even though my heart wanted nothing more than to stay. I stumbled onto the boat and picked up Jon's old filet knife. It would have to do to cut through something as flimsy as the rope keeping the boat moored.

I made quick work of the rope, the blood dripping into my eye making it impossible to see, but I managed. When the thing had finally snapped, I placed both of my hands on the wooden dock and shoved against it with all my might.

With the might of the Ki no Hitobito filling my body, the boat careened out into open waters. With that done, I lay down and curl up into a ball. I welcomed the darkness that consumed me.

**[l]**

* * *

I dropped the bloody scalpel that Doctor Vegapunk had given me and looked into the small pool of blood in the hole. This was the only way to open the chamber to the fruit. A blood offering coming from one of my kind had to be given. No measurable amount of force could open the way.

The ground rumbled and the blackened roots of Toranku started to move wildly beneath the earth. "Don't look behind you, doctor, or the staircase won't appear." I said. This wasn't true, I just didn't want him to see my face after I poured my soul out for him. I didn't want his pity or his 'sympathy,' it won't bring my family back.

The earth ceased its wild bucking, and I turned to head right down into the Chamber of Five Seals. My geta made loud clip-clop noises as I swiftly descended down the long set of roots-made-stairs. Even though there was a short hall until we reached the main chamber, I could see the iridescent glow emitting from the fruit. I heard the sharp clomping of Vegapunk's cybernetic legs on the roots and waited until he had reached the bottom of the stairs before turning around.

"I'm sorry, Doctor, but you won't be able to go any further before the defenses activate. I have to do this next part alone." I said. I know that the man wasn't happy about that, but he has his own freaking island rigged to blow if it stopped getting signals from his body. He didn't have any room to complain if I decided to move ahead alone.

I wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, so I picked up the pace to a brisk trot. Not too long later, I entered a large hemispherical chamber. I looked at the curved wall in front of me for the first time in years. Nothing had changed since I last saw it. There was still the five wooden pedestals all along the opposite wall, thrust up into the air like evil clawed hands with outstretched palms. In the center of the room was the devil fruit Doctor Vegapunk was talking about sitting all alone on top of an ornate metal display. Just like it had been last time.

The glow coming from the fruit was bright enough that I had to shield my eyes in order to approach. When I had finally arrived at the display, I placed my hands underneath the fruit and lifted it up gingerly. All of the sudden, the light faded to nothing, leaving the only light to come from where Vegapunk was waiting for me at the entrance.

The chamber started to shake and I staggered, keeping a firm grip on the devil fruit. Little chunks of dirt fell from the ceiling and dust clouds drifted from where they had clung to the dirt roof. Now that the only source of light in the room was gone, the only guide I had was near the staircase. I brushed idle pebbles from my shirt and continued onward.

Just as I was about to exit the Room of the Five Seals, the room shuddered again. I heard a sound and whipped around, ready to confront whatever it was. I saw a shadow flit around in my peripherals and swung around again. I clutched the fruit to my chest and backed away to the exit.

It must have been the wind from the storm, but I think I heard whispers. Almost as if something was laughing. _'Nope! I'm out of here!'_ I thought, quickly making my way out of the half-circle room.

I walked for a little bit and met up with Doctor Vegapunk. I looked at him and nodded, "Let's get out of here." He saw that I had the devil fruit and turned to walk away.

After we scaled the stairs, the ground writhed, sealing the entrance to the chamber once more. I examined the fruit, now that we were out in the relative sunlight outside, I saw that my description was still accurate after the few years since I last went in the Room of Five Seals. The fruit was still as large as a cabbage, with green and orange swirls coming from the stem and twisting all the way down to the bottom of the fruit.

I bounced it in my hands a little, _'I'm surprised at the heft this thing has got for something only as large as a cabbage.'_ I idly noted.

I looked at the doctor, "What now? I don't want to stay here." I said.

He took his cap off to run a hand through the greying hair on his head. "We'll spend the night here, the storm won't last for very much longer, but if we wait it out awake, it'll be horribly long. Let's go back to your house and bed down." Vegapunk's face dropped slightly. "No person should be forced to stay in the place where their entire family was murdered. We aren't staying here indefinitely, unless you want to."

His eyes lightened slightly from the melancholic face he was sporting, "After today, every day is going to be a big one for you Andoru. We return to Oninoiwa Spire tomorrow once the storm passes, and I'll get to work on the binding process for the Torio Mokuzai no Mi." He cracked his neck and his knuckles, "And you will start training shortly after we arrive at the Spire. I heard that Vice Admiral Garp's grandson Monkey D. Luffy has started to proclaim he'd be 'King of the Pirates' and is training almost religiously."

He smirked, "You want to know something Andoru? The kid's about your age and has a head start. Maybe once the fruit is finished I'll send you to East Blue. There's a guy named Shanks that said he'd arrange a transport. But if you want any headway on the kid you have to start the moment we get back to Oninoiwa." He shot me an amused glance, "We wouldn't want to fall behind now do we?"

I grinned, stretching the still-scabbed cuts over the left side of my face, "Never! I'm gonna be way stronger than this Luffy guy!" Lifting the fruit slightly I said, "Now that you have three of these things, I can get super strong!"

Vegapunk gave me an unreadable look, "Are you willing to pay the price?"

I crossed my arms as best as I could with the fruit in my hands, which is to say, not at all. "I'm willing to die for a chance to keep those bad marines from taking over the world. And if you say they'd do it anyway if I didn't come here, then I'll stay with the side of freedom."

"I'd eat this 'Torio' fruit any day instead of destroying the world. Just because I've lost so much doesn't mean everyone else has to, Doctor Vegapunk."

**[l]**

* * *

**An: Yeah, a lame ending, I know. That's my specialty, after all! Next chapter the doctor and Andoru are returning to Oninoiwa Spire and some more character-building fluff before Andoru heads out with the power granted to him by the Torio Mokuzai no Mi. I eagerly anticipate everyone's reviews. If you didn't want to see Andoru's family die, then I'm sorry. It had to be done to propel the story along.**

**I hope you have a good night,**

**Lancer-of-the-Sun.**


	3. Chapter 3: Accidents Happen

**Chapter 3: Accidents Happen**

**An: Hi everybody. I'm back with some more Mokuzai-Mokuzai no Mi for you. One Piece is most definitely my favorite anime, just wanted to throw that out there. Even though Naruto holds a special place in that dark pit where my heart is supposed to be, I feel like One Piece was specially tailor-made for my enjoyment. I kinda want to buy some merchandise, to be honest.**

**Alright, enough of myself. I want to try to integrate my character (Andoru) as smoothly as possible into the One Piece universe without going completely cliché on all of you. A daunting task indeed. Review to give me some suggestions, because "The best thing to give a writer is a reader" (-J. Blood, 2015) and I want to write well enough so that I attract more and more readers. My personal little Fanfiction dream is to have any of my stories get one-thousand favorites. I see all the really good writers and that they have like, upwards of two-thousand favorites for their most popular story. Man, if I could eventually reach the caliber of writing like QPython, The Engulfing Silence, or any of those other (legendary, nigh untouchable, in my eyes) writers, I'll know that I'm finally doing something right with the whole writing thing.**

**In short, I want to one day be like those guys one day.**

**Review, would you kindly? (I don't get why people do disclaimers, but I'm just going to do it anyway. I don't own One Piece or any merchandise. All I've got is a phone background.)**

"Speech"

'_Thought'_

**"Attacks! (translations)"**

**[l]**

* * *

Once again, I stepped onto the black sands of the sheltered cave at Oninoiwa Spire. Well, not stepped, more like staggered precariously while my entire midsection betrayed me. It tossed and groaned, as if it were saying, "TRAITOR!" and spinning rapidly. It was safe to say that moving quickly on a wildly bucking sea in a wildly bucking ship did not agree with me. Vegapunk said that I'd get used to the rapid switch from sealegs to land-legs eventually. Actually he said that he would force me to, but the point is that I'll not have to deal with this forever.

Oh, how am I happily awaiting that day.

Doctor Vegapunk casually strolled off of the gangplank and onto the priceless obsidian beach, crouching in front of me, "You see, that's why you need to adjust. If you turn into a helpless baby every time you get on or off a ship, it won't matter how good you become. You'll get killed faster than I can crack my knuckles."

The doctor ruffled my hair, messing up my green locks and stood upright. He bent backwards to crack his back and moaned softly at the relieving pops. I raised an eyebrow at the doctor and he gave me the same expression right back. "What? When you're my age, you have no idea how many aches you have to deal with." He said. I let out an amused huff in response. _'You said you were going to make me eat my words about you being old, but at this point I don't think you can.'_

Now that Vegapunk's old joints had been stretched, the two of us walked to the obsidian staircase and to the elly-vader thing. Just before my foot stepped into the small room, I froze, gasping. "The devil fruit. It's still on the ship!" I said. I quickly turned to race down the steps. I didn't see the old man purse his lips and nod approvingly.

I rushed back down to the beach and to the VM4, the geta sandals slapping against my feet with every step. Once I reached the ship, I quickly went onto the gangplank and inside the wheelhouse. I looked around quickly but didn't see the glow of the fruit or its tell-tale green-orange swirl. Next I opened the hatch and descended the metal ladder, hoping that it was where I remember it was.

I burst into the cabin where I had stayed for the majority of both trips. I made my way over to the bed Vegapunk had given to me and opened the drawer on the nightstand. The only thing in there were some shirts that looked like they'd fit me, which was kind of creepy considering I had only been around a week or so. I opened the next drawer to find it filled with shorts this time. _'Was Vegapunk really planning on staying at Toranku?'_ I thought.

I shut both of the nightstand drawers and sat on the bed. _'I remember putting the fruit on the stand, but it wasn't there when I came back, so maybe Vegapunk moved it? But why? What does he have to accomplish by this?'_ I crossed my arms, "Where is it?" I wondered aloud.

"Perhaps I can be of use, Suchiruamu." A female voice said.

I jumped slightly and whirled around, looking for the source of the voice, but there was nobody in the room, "Who's there!" I snapped.

She giggled, "I love you kids. You're all so cute! Go to the wheelhouse and you'll find what you're looking for." I got up from the bed curiously, _'What's going on? First the fruit is missing now I'm being told to go back up.' _With no other choice but to listen to this mystery woman, I walked out of the room.

Once I got to the ladder, I climbed it, pushing the hatch open with my left hand. With a grunt I heaved myself up and found myself standing in complete darkness. I groped about blindly in the room, looking for that little lever thing Vegapunk said would turn on the light but the voice of the woman came back, "Hold up, little guy. You don't need the light when I'm around."

Before my eyes, a dim purple blob of light about as tall as a person appeared. The light flickered a few times before snapping into detail. Before me stood an violet-colored image of a woman. Much like Vegapunk always wore, she had a pristine lab coat. I couldn't see the exact color of her clothing, as everything was purple, but she had on a v-neck t-shirt and some slacks. The woman brought both of her hands up to tie her mid-back length hair into a ponytail. She smiled, "Hi there!"

I have no idea who this person is, but that voice is familiar. Then it clicked, "Are you Violette?" It makes sense, seeing as how Dr. Vegapunk kept talking to his arm 'computy' thing and called it Violette. _'Why did Vegapunk make her?'_

The glowing purple woman made of light nodded sadly. "I can see it in your eyes, Suchiruamu. You're confused. Do you want to know why Vegapunk called me what I am?"

"I… I think I can figure it out. Vegapunk loved the original Violette and when he lost her, he got really sad. But the thing that is confusing is how he made you." I said.

Violette smiled, "You came from Toranku island, yes? To my knowledge the Ki no Hitobito have a traditional society, which means they are more focused on following tradition than advancing technologically. Such advances would be unheard of back where you live." She tapped her chin in thought, "Yet you seem to be quite the sharp one."

I blushed and lowered my eyes so I was looking at my feet. Tou-san had always said I was a crafty kid. I paused, _'Wait, did she just insult my people?'_

Violette looked at me again, "Tell me, were there many books on your island? How were you taught?"

I looked around for a seat and found Vegapunk's squishy leather chair. I sank into it and pushed my fingers into a steeple. "Well," I began, "I was taught how to read and write because Jii-San told me 'as chief he could not allow an uneducated Ki no Hitobito!'" I finished in an attempt at copying his gruff voice. I coughed, mimicking him hurt my tender throat. "But there wasn't very many books. Most of my time was spent trying to sneak up on things." I beamed, "I remember being able to slap a deer on the back. I even rode one once, but I got poked real bad by its antlers."

"So you are not an academic then?"

I scratched my head, trying to think of what that word meant. Violette thankfully told me the meaning. "Oh. Um… I don't think so? I like to learn new things, but I like to play around more."

The light woman looked off to the side with a glazed look in her eyes. "Capable of learning with books, but is a mostly taught with kinesthetic or audial means." She murmured to herself. I was about to ask what she was doing when she turned to me with a goofy smile, "Sorry about that. Doctor Vegapunk wanted me to learn about you a little bit while he took care of some important business."

"Business? Is it my business to know his business?" I asked.

She quirked a smile at me, "Capable of wordplay as well? But no, it is not your business however it does pertain to you."

I got up from the chair, "Then why am I still here?"

"Because Vegapunk needed someone to stall for him while he makes a few den-den mushi calls and takes the test subjects out of stasis." Violette said, brushing her long bangs out of her face. "Seeing as how some of the test subjects are… less than mentally stable, the doctor trusted me, little old Violette to watch you."

"Oh. Alright then." I said simply. If the doctor was going to turn his lab back on, who was I to complain? Maybe he's just setting up the experiment to fuse the devil fruit into one?

Violette crossed her arms and sat down in a chair made of purple light, "So, what's your favorite color?"

I looked at her. _'Seriously?'_ She gave me a less than impressed face right back at me and put her hands on her hips, "Hey, if you want to stand here in awkward silence the entire time, suit yourself. I'm just trying to pass the time. Here's an idea, I'll ask you a question, then you answer. If the answer is good enough, then you get to ask me a question. How does that sound?"

I sat back down and mirrored her pose, "Okay, I'll play. My favorite color is green. Is Violette some kind of code-name?"

She smiled at my question, amused, "No, but it does seem like one, doesn't it? As you probably know, I'm just a computer based off of the real Violette who died fifteen years ago after eating what Doctor Vegapunk has called the Torio no Mi. Here's a question for you. How old are you?"

"Nine. My birthday is on the first day of the new year. Kaa-chan told me so, and I didn't know anything when I was a baby so I trust what she said." I said. I suddenly realized that I really didn't have anything to ask her, so I just repeated her question, "Well… how old are _you?_"

She tutted and shook her head, "Suchiruamu, that's one question that you should never ask a lady, especially one that is in her mid thirties or forties. That, alongside how much a lady weighs." She saw my confused look and sighed, "Technically speaking, I am eighteen years old. That's when the Doctor and the human Violette had their argument. Vegapunk realized that he still needed a lab assistant, and immediately started programming me."

The false woman shook her head sadly, "Even though he didn't realize it at the time, He couldn't live his life without Violette by his side, whether it is me, the fake one, or her, the real one." She closed her purple eyes, "When she died, a piece of him died as well. I saw him spiral into a dark hole. For a long time his experiments were forgotten, cast away because the light in his life was gone."

She looked at me searchingly, "In a way, he never truly got out of his little pit of despair. Soon, you're going to be gone as well. Only a short time will pass before the pirate Red Hair Shanks sends one of his subordinates to pick you up and take you to East Blue where his man will hide you. When you are gone, he will sink back into that pit, but he will throw himself into his work. My question is this Suchiruamu, how hard will you fight for the man that put aside everything to continue his worst nightmare? For you?"

I stood up with my jaw set, "Where is the devil fruit?"

She smiled coyly, "Why, it has been under your chair the whole time. Won't you come back to have another chat with me some time?"

I didn't answer her and grabbed the devil fruit, stalking off of the ship to the sounds of the wind's whispering laughter.

**[l]**

* * *

It has been five months since that day.

Ever since that day I have been pounded into the glassy surface of the spire. The training was difficult, unlike anything I'd ever encountered before. And faced with my family's death, I remained steadfast. A cold, ruthless determination. As much as it pains me to say it, Vegapunk was right. I was ran into the ground for calling him old and lazy, but it wasn't him that trained me. Vegapunk stayed in his lab most of the time, so Violette and some of his various inventions were doing that for him.

I have been having… disturbing dreams. I am haunted by the screams of my family whenever I close my eyes. There is no worse dream than the one of seeing my grandfather's anguish when the forest burns. I see the despair in his mottled green eyes when he realizes he is going to die, and I pray to my ancestors fervently every time I am forcefully awoken that I will not become a man like Buggy the Clown.

Oninoiwa Spire is a terrible replacement for the lush land of Toranku. All the ethereal beauty of the night and stars is stolen by the mocking clouds, spilling a cold, lifeless spray down to the Earth below. Demon's rock is an accurate name for the place. There is no survival here, no plant could live on this desolate tower of cold glass and stone. Where there was once the drone of cicadas on warm nights, there is cries of torment and mechanical clanking. Everything here is so… fake. Sometimes when I wake up, I think this is all a bad dream and that I'm going to wake up to my sister's worried eyes or my father's bushy afro, but I know that they're never coming back.

The Doctor obliged to my pleas to return to the island, if only to bury my family. He stood there in silence as I demanded I do it alone, and watched my back as I dug four graves next to the roots of the most alive-looking trees. They were dishonored, not even being allowed every Ki no Hitobito's right of fading into the forest when they died. Jii-san was buried next to the place Obaa-chan stood.

Doctor Vegapunk did not allow for much rest between relentless training. I was forced to run countless miles every day, and when I showed signs of becoming acclimated to the running, weight was added. So much more weight was put on my shoulders, and I came to exhaustion more than I was filled with energy. And he didn't stop there. The man had Violette and his robots run me into the ground day after unending day with training me how to protect myself and sculpting my body into one that would take all of the strain required to live a life of fighting.

My only respite is when I fall into an exhausted slumber, my entire being spent. My life would change when the Torio Mokuzai no Mi is finished. The Doctor said that I would draw energy from the very light that shines down on me. Never again should I feel fatigue under the sun. I've forgotten what being full of vibrancy and energy felt like. Whenever I collapse to my knees I hope with increasing strength that the Torio no Mi is finished soon.

Little did I know that my time, at last, had come.

Currently, I was sparring with a prototype robot that Doctor Vegapunk had made to assist in the training of new marine recruits. Of course the deadly failsafe the Doctor said was in this particular bot was removed. This robot looked rather like one of the crash-test dummies that the man had shown me once when he wanted me to see what would happen to a body after falling off the spire. The end results were less than appealing, and the Doctor reminded me that the dummy was made of a hard material he called plastic and heavy metal reinforcements.

I know that Vegapunk was grooming me to be a world-changer, but the weight of that burden felt so much greater than the weight he puts on my back for my daily run.

The fight was difficult, the robot was programmed to be a hard opponent for differing skill levels, and due to a lack of skill, I was at the lowest level. But cut me some slack, I only recently turned ten.

I charged the robot, who shifted its stance to react quickly to any move I would make. I tried a new tactic, probing for weaknesses. I slid on one leg between its legs, only able to do this because of my small size. I went into a somersault and threw my elbow into the back of one of its knees, wincing when the sharp metal dug into my skin.

The metal man fell to one knee, but swung an arm backwards, catching me off-guard. The blow hit my stomach solidly and I doubled over, clutching at my abdomen. I looked up in time to see the padded fist careening to my face and dropped onto the obsidian ground, narrowly dodging it.

Now back on its feet, the robot advanced to my downed form. It tried to curb-stomp my midsection, but I rolled out of the way and tried to kick its legs out from underneath it. The only reward for my efforts was a sharp pain in my shins. To my credit, the thing _did_ wobble slightly.

I rolled away then rose to my feet and crouched lowly. When the robot drew close, I pushed off as hard as I could, tackling the thing. We both toppled to the ground, and I managed to get on top. With an animalistic growl, I lifted both of my hands and smashed its soft nose in with a double fisted hammer blow. The robot's head flew back and cracked into the stone ground with a sound that made me grimace in sympathy, despite it not being alive. The lights in the eye sockets dimmed and I sighed.

I got up off the robot and rubbed my sore stomach. This was only one victory out of five skirmishes today, and I guarantee that I had more damage than the robot by the end of it. Like always, the lights came back on and I aided the robot return itself to a standing position. It nodded to me, even though I knew it was just a feature built in to acknowledge assistance. For whatever reason, I nodded back. I watched as the bot trudged back into the Cube Lab, pausing only briefly for a small stone portion to slide open like a door.

I had a brief resting period before I had to go back indoors for another set of five. Vegapunk designed the robot to fight in rounds of five, then return to its docking station and upload the information gathered from the fight. Once that was done, it programmed itself to adjust its fighting style to better combat its opponent. The robot literally learned alongside you, and it only got progressively more difficult. There was a major glitch in that the robot forgot old information very quickly after learning new stuff. I could try a trick from a couple of days ago and down the bot, then keep switching tactics to something else. I did that that often, and Vegapunk said that I needed to build up some muscle memory, another flaw that the robot had.

The bot didn't have muscle memory, but I did. Although it was developing slowly, Doctor Vegapunk proved to me that I, in fact did have it by explaining that the only way I was so good at sneaking was through practice. And practice is the one thing that you need to gain muscle memory.

I sat near the edge of Oninoiwa Spire, gazing into the choked, dead sea below. I got lonely pretty quickly with nobody but the Doctor around, and even then he spent all his days cooped up in his lab. The 'Inner Sanctum' I liked to call it. So in my off-time I just laid around, recuperating my strength for the next workout. It's not like I had anyone to talk to anyways.

I sighed, again.

"Well you did beat it in the last round, so don't be so unhappy."

I started, rolling onto my feet and getting into a ready position, facing the direction the voice came from. Right In front of me was a black-haired, blue-eyed woman with a lazy smile. She was wearing a short-cut black leather jacket modestly covering, yet highlighting her impressive bust and tight black leather pants. The woman had a slim figure, and stood with a relaxed posture, completely at ease. Beneath the jacket was a white blouse, and a black cowboy hat crowned her head.

She had a pointed jaw and a heart-shaped face, most of her brow was covered by long bangs. The woman had a thin, defined nose and a nice smile. Her eyebrows were thin, and rested almost lazily over wide eyes.

She was a very pretty woman, altogether, and I was secretly happy that I had company, even though she could be an enemy.

"Who are you?" I demanded, my face screwing into an angry glare.

The woman smiled charmingly, completely unfazed by my hostility, "Not even a hello for little old me?"

"Hello. Who are you?"

She chuckled and rested her face in one of her elegant palms, "Fufufu! Now that was hardly a greeting at all."

I took a step back, remembering Vegapunk's instruction to try to put a little distance between you and an enemy when you don't know anything about them. A loose rock shifted beneath my back foot when I placed my weight on it, and my eyes widened. From the relentless pounding of the rain, even something as sturdy as obsidian erodes, and this chunk had obviously been loose for a long time. The rock slid away from the main spire like quicksilver, and I found myself weightless.

The woman's eyes widened, and she reached a hand forward but it was too late. Time slowed down as our hands whispered by one another, only a hairsbreadth apart. Then I was falling.

"Pretty-chan!" I screamed, scared out of my wits. If it were any other situation, I would be blushing a brilliant crimson so hot you could fry an egg on my face. But I didn't know this woman's name, and, dammit all! This is an emergency!

Then a most unusual thing happened, from Pretty-chan's hand sprouted _another arm!_ From that arm came another one and another one until I felt two strong hands grip onto my own outstretched pair. The downward momentum was too much and I swung right into the solid obsidian rock face, my lower legs getting eviscerated on the jagged stone. I cried out in pain as blood immediately flowed freely into the poisoned sea hundreds of feet below.

I saw Pretty-chan's face poke over the side of the cliff, worry written clearly over her face. "Are you alright?" She asked concernedly.

I looked up at her with pleading eyes, "Please," I whimpered, "Please, don't let go."

She shook her head, "I would never dream of doing something like that." I felt the chain of arms start to move up. "Hold on tight!" She said.

My palms were all sweaty from my recent fight and more arms sprouted from the ones holding onto my hands, grasping my elbows firmly. With a heave, She pulled me up to the more stable rock surface, and I screamed in agony as I literally felt the muscles in front of my shins being shredded along with some calf muscle. Tears were streaming unceasingly from my green eyes and I gave a loud cry when we came to a rest at the flat obsidian. Still holding onto me, Pretty-chan dragged the both of us away from the dangerous cliff.

When we were finally on ground the woman deemed safe enough, I collapsed flat onto my back, breathing heavily and trying my damnedest to not cry out. I saw her face poke into view above me with a slightly ashamed look, "Are you okay?" She asked. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that!"

I put my hands over my eyes, still in disbelief that this just happened. When my heaving chest calmed down, I took my hands off of my eyes and saw the woman's still worried face. She was kneeling in front of me, doing a quick once-over to check me for injuries. Her eyes lit upon my legs and she cursed softly.

This person who doesn't even know me just _saved my life!_

I was so frightened and in pain that I didn't even bother trying to resist the urge to grasp onto the woman in a desperate hug. She stiffened, then slowly returned the embrace. After being deprived of such contact for almost half a year, I urgently needed it. Doctor Vegapunk was too distant, not nearly as fatherly enough to come remotely close to such a place in my heart this woman suddenly became in. He spends most of his time isolated in his Inner Sanctum, preparing the three devil fruits to be merged. I have no place to blame him, the man was distancing himself purposely from me. He didn't want to be as affected if I in fact turned out like Violette. The AI had told me about two and a half months ago when I asked why the doctor was so distant.

I grabbed a fistful of Pretty-chan's coat and dragged my teary eyes up to her, "Please," I whispered, anything louder would be a cry of pain, "We need to get inside!"

She gave me a concerned look, "Can you be moved?" She asked, eyeing loose flaps of flesh clinging onto my legs.

I glanced down and saw the alarming pool of blood spreading next to my lower body, "Can't be moved yet!"I reached behind my head and pulled out the two hairsticks that held my long green hair back and dropped them onto the obsidian next to me with a clatter. Then I grasped at my shirt, trying to tear at it, but I just couldn't. I looked at the woman, "Can you do a tourniquet?" I asked, still vainly attempting to rip the shirt.

She nodded and reached out, easily ripping two long strips out of the clothing. The lacerations were higher on my right leg, so she snaked a piece of the shirt around my upper thigh there first. After inserting the hairstick, she cranked it hard, until I felt a painfully tight squeeze. She had me hold the stick while she tied the securing knot.

She moved onto the left leg, but this one only needed to be tied just above the knee. Because it wasn't as meaty of an area as my upper thigh, this one went a lot quicker.

I grit my teeth together and tried the hardest I could to keep my cries of pain at bay when a fresh wave of torment swept across my lower legs. Little flecks of spittle escaped my lips as I pressed my mouth shut. My face was probably beet-red with strain. "I can go...As long…" I gritted out, "As I get to- MMGHAHH! M-microphone o-on the… wall."

Pretty-chan nodded, and carefully lifted me up, not that it made any difference. I still gripped her coat with all my strength and howled as if the devil himself was torturing me. She saw that it didn't particularly matter if she went slow, as I'd still be suffering in agony, and she made her way quickly to the solid stone wall of the large cube-shaped facility. In my pain-induced delirium, I noticed the thick red blood coating her sleeves and soaking the white blouse below the jacket. "Sorry 'bout the blood." I said.

It was either make jokes or scream, and my throat still remembered the terrible time I had when I first got here.

She laughed humorlessly with wide eyes, "That's the least of my worries!"

We, or rather, she reached the laboratory, and I reached out with my free hand to the wall. With less elegance than I would have liked, (first impressions are very important for a lady, Violette told me so) I mashed my hand into the stone twice to reveal the microphone. Funny thing is, you either needed your biometrics keyed into the laboratory, whatever that meant, or you needed voice recognition to get in. "Violette!" I ground out, "I'm real messed up here and I've got Pretty-chan carrying me into The Cube. Let us in and GET THE DOCTOR!"

Strangely, the woman didn't seem to much mind the little nickname I gave her.

I got extraordinarily lucky that a camera was poised innocently above this particular microphone, so Violette could see my less than ideal circumstances and ignore the strain in my voice. Much faster than for the robot earlier, the stone doors opened. "Follow the green arrows!" I heard Violette say worriedly from one of her speakers. Along the walls, our path was made evident, and I couldn't be more happy to have an understanding Artificial Intelligence like Violette in my life.

The woman holding me followed the arrows at a quick pace, trying hard not to jostle me as she went. I know that the path to the Inner Sanctum was a long, winding one, meant to confuse potential enemies and delay them so that Vegapunk had time to sabotage any incriminating evidence or information before he made a hasty escape. I started getting dizzy, the motion around me becoming blurry. Looking up at the face of the woman that saved me, I was surprised at her determination. Her jaw was set and she glanced down at me, meeting my eyes. "I hadn't meant for this to happen." She said.

I tried smiling encouragingly, but only a grimace came out, "S'not your fault… Accident."

Her eyes flashed, and I could see her troubled expression. She was about to say something when a section of the left wall about ten paces in front of us opened up with a horrible grinding noise. Vegapunk poked his head out of the new doorway with a stony face. When his eyes lit upon Pretty-chan, he gained a confused expression, "Nico Robin?" He shook his head in dismissal, "Later. Get Suchiruamu inside."

The woman, (apparently her name was Robin) quickly crossed into the room, the stone wall replacing itself once we got inside. My head lolled to the side, and I glimpsed a great machine of silver and bronze with three chambers connected by short tubes, the middle compartment being much larger than the other two. There were small viewing windows in each one, and I spotted a different swirly-colored object inside each one. The machine looked like three stainless steel furnaces connected to one another. "Place him on the table." The Doctor ordered.

I got set down and Nico Robin was told to stand back. Vegapunk scowled at the machine, then approached it, flicking a switch. The contraption of shining metal gave a mighty lurch and it felt like the entire Spire shuddered, "Shield your eyes!" The man-machine ordered. Robin and I did so, and we heard the thing start making a thundering noise. Faster and faster, the machine rumbled. Once, there was a metallic pinging noise and steam began jetting out of the chimney-like structure that went into the ceiling. I heard a hearty thud, "Come on, damn you!" Vegapunk shouted.

A shrill metallic ringing started up, and I winced. For about five minutes this sound rang until it was cut off, the machine becoming eerily silent. I could barely hear Vegapunk say we could uncover our eyes over the ringing in my ears. Warily, I lowered the elbow that was covering my eyes. What I saw made them widen. The left and right chambers looked utterly untouched, but the center one was destroyed. There were large cracks, like webbing, all around the outside and not a single square inch had kept its shining gleam.

I looked into the viewing windows and saw that the two fruit were noticeably absent, and the center window was blackened, obscuring my view into the inside. Vegapunk reached to grab the handle on the window, but snatched his hand back, watching curiously as the synthetic skin hissed and bubbled. He looked at me, "Well, the Devil Fruit we found on Toranku _does not_ play well with others. It nearly derailed the entire homogenization process." He smiled and patted the center chamber, which caused a chunk of the steel to crumble inward, leaving a gaping hole which spewed out white light. The cyborg glanced at the hole and closed his eyes with a wince. He massaged his temples.

I tried to sit up, but the pressure it exerted on my legs caused me to give a small cry of pain. Vegapunk looked at Robin, who was staring at the machine and looking slightly sickly, "What business is it that you have on this tower of obsidian, Nico Robin?"

She turned her head to me, "I was sent here to pick something of great importance up and bring it to a certain island in East Blue." Robin said, seeing no point in trying to hide the truth. She cocked her head to the side, "It's the boy, isn't it?"

The doctor walked over to the surgery table I was set on and had me nudge to the side so he could sit on it. "Of course it is." He snapped. "This arrangement had been made for months before you arrived. After all, I was one of the people to commission it." Vegapunk lifted a finger into the air, "But, the requirements have yet to be fulfilled so you can transfer the boy. He does not have a devil fruit power." The cyborg nodded to the light, which died down slightly, "I would advise you to stay away from this machine until the… ah, _volatile_ Devil Fruit is eaten by Andoru here."

Robin backed away from it, immediately looking better, "What kind of Devil Fruit is that? I know the story of the devil fruit and the 'devil' inside me fighting one another is false. There are no demons inside the devil fruit. And nothing I have ever come across has made me feel so… ill." She said, idly holding a hand to her stomach.

"Which is why you _must_ stay away, Nico Robin. On the contrary to what you think, I believe the devil fruit _do_ have demons inhabiting them, and the one that was hidden away at Toranku island was… peculiarly feisty." One of his fuzzy eyebrows rose, "How else do you explain that a person already with a devil fruit power can't eat another one? When two are in the same body, they fight one another, which the human body cannot endure. Then the person dies, messily, if the two were rather persistent in trying to maintain dominance." He looked down at his hands, his eyes clouding with memories, "I found out that in order to combine the devil fruit with one another, the demons dwelling within also need to be combined. Even then a human cannot possibly dream to contain such power."

"I discovered this… far too late, and my life has been damned ever since. My only reprieve is Andoru. He is my last hope. If he cannot contain the power, then I'm afraid that I have killed every single person on the planet." He kneaded his forehead wearily. "I must ask you to step outside of this room for a moment. The combined strength a single devil fruit having forcefully taken the power of two other devil fruit will be too much for the demon inside of you now, and it will try to fight back if you aren't away from it." He huffed out a breath, "If you decide to stay, so be it, but you will die, and everything that happened on Ohara will be for nothing."

"Doctor," I said, "What about my legs?"

Vegapunk smiled ferociously at me, and I saw an unnerving light gleam in his eyes, "The demon can't have a damaged vessel, now can it?" The light in his eyes shifted, and his steel-grey eyes darkened to the color of coal, "Trust me, you'll be fine," He cooed with a wide grin on his face, "I'm a doctor."

Robin cleared her throat, "Doctor, no kind of devil fruit glows like that. What's wrong with it?"

The cyborg grinned toothily, "A good question, my dear. One that I really don't know the answer to. In order for the three to become one, they must be forced together, then a single demon must defeat the other two, assimilating their abilities." He pushed his glasses up with a finger, "I have a hypothesis, though. Perhaps the power of _three_ demons was too much for the fruit to handle, and the fruit turned into… something else? I don't know exactly what form the devil fruit's power is in, but whatever it is, it'll still be safe for 'Doru here to eat."

I crossed my arms, "Why'd you call me 'Doru'?"

"I'm too lazy to say your full name 'Andoru', your project designation 'Regrowth', or the name I gave you in the official reports 'Suchiruamu'. Now, _Doru_," He said, putting emphasis on the shortened version of my name, "Say goodbye to Nico Robin for now, she'll be right outside the door." He shot her a sideways glance, "Won't you, Robin?"

She gave him the blank face she had when I first saw her, not betraying any emotion.

He turned to Robin fully and shooed her out of the room, the stone sliding open and shutting behind her as she backed away from the room with narrow eyes. Once the door's locks clicked into place, the doctor's behavior did a one-eighty. Vegapunk giggled, "She doesn't trust me!" Something was definitely amiss with the man as he waltzed over to the center container, slapping a palm on the fragile metal, causing the center chamber to topple to the stone floor like brittle logs on a roaring fire.

I was blasted by bright silver light, and I threw an arm in front of my eyes, but the arm seemed to not deter the light at all. Gleaming tendrils of shining swarmed over my arm, clinging onto me greedily. I shook them off, but they were not so easily deterred, and they stuck to me once more. Whenever any silver light touched my body, I heard a metallic hiss that sounded suspiciously like the words, "The host!"

My vision was suddenly obscured by a humanoid silhouette, which appeared to be reaching forward. Suddenly, all the silver light was extinguished as two furiously sizzling and sparking robotic hands clasped over a small object, no bigger than an apple. Vegapunk's eyes were gleaming as he stared into the dangerously bright object in his hands, "Good." He crooned. "You have indeed been a good choice. I've done well."

I tentatively reached for the object, the whispers of "The host! The host!" becoming louder the closer my hand got to it. Vegapunk growled loudly, his voice not entirely his, "This is taking too long!" The doctor grabbed my face and shoved the glowing orb into my mouth. The Torio Mokuzai no Mi seemingly melted into the most foul-tasting goop to ever exist in my mouth and I was forced to swallow because there was too much of it and Vegapunk clamped a hand over my mouth.

Agony, explosive agony. Much worse than watching my family get murdered in front of me. I felt like I was thrown into the sun, and was able to feel every second of it.

My body bucked, trying to get the doctor off of me, but I was pinned down. He cackled madly, "You have a remarkable pain tolerance, Andoru!"

I weakly flopped on the table, then my eyes rolled into the back of my head. It was just too much.

I heard a voice as I descended into oblivion, the softest, most silky, soothing voice I'd ever heard. Heavy cream had nothing on this voice, "Sleep, my host. Sleep and rest well. I have much work to do."

**[l]**

* * *

The world was swaying, as if a great pair of arms was rocking me gently to sleep. I almost went back into the darkness, but then my brain started kicking in. _'The Spire shouldn't be moving like this…'_

I jolted, trying to get upright, but my body refused to move. My eyes frantically rolled around in my sockets as I discovered myself in a dimly-lit wooden room. There was only the slight orange glow of a candle somewhere off to my right. I shuddered. _'Fire.'_

I tried flexing my arms to see if it was rope that bound me, and I heard the heavy groaning of wood-on-wood. I stopped, but not before realizing my jaw, fingers, and toes were still freely mobile. _'What in world?'_ I heard footsteps coming from above me, and strained to move, hearing the wood protest loudly. For some reason, I thought I could _feel_ the footsteps. I don't know how exactly that I did this, but I was _aware_ that whoever was walking had on heels and had a long stride.

The four points of pressure came to a halt near a wall. Still in my prone position, I didn't know if the heels were near a door, or simply standing by the wall. Why they would stand there and face the wall, I have no idea. The wall opened slightly, and I could feel a hand push it. After slight hesitation, the wall swung open fully.

"Hello, Andoru." Said that alluring woman's mysterious voice. I relaxed and ceased struggling. _'It's her, Nico Robin.'_ I thought. My cheeks burned in embarrassment as I remembered what I called her on the cliff. I heard soft giggling, "It seems you've found yourself in quite the situation." My nose twitched, it itches horribly, and I can't do a darn thing about it.

I frowned and looked cross-eyed at the pale offending appendage, willing it to become relieved. To my ire, it simply itched worse as if mocking me. My lips arched into a frown, "Yeah. I can't itch my nose, and I'm havin' a bit of a problem moving around to get at it." I said irritably. I tried moving my arms about, but didn't get any movement. It was like my body was being fixed in position by something. "Seriously?! What the heck is this?"

Robin hadn't moved from her spot. "It is your devil fruit power." She said. Robin poked at something and I twitched in surprise when I felt it, "Didn't your friend tell you about its powers?" I felt her hand rest on something, and she put her weight on it.

I frowned. _'I know that I was given the Torio Mokuzai no Mi, but that… Thing only hurt me.'_ I was silent for a moment then said, "Robin-chan, what happened to me?"

She sighed and I get her weight shift so she was sitting on whatever it was. "I don't know what happened, but I heard your screams. When the door opened again, the doctor looked tired and beckoned me inside."

"I saw you laying there on the table, and Vegapunk looked so troubled. You were steaming, and your skin was raw." She said softly. Robin shifted her weight again and came closer to me. She was silent as she navigated her way over to me, me feeling her every movement.

I lifted an eyebrow, "Why are you climbing around like that? Isn't this an empty room?" I asked. I felt decidedly uncomfortable as I felt her sprout hands to assist her closer to me. "That feels weird."

Robin's face came into view above my face, eyebrows risen, "You can feel all of this?" She asked. I nodded and she hummed, "Interesting."

She shook her head to clear it. "Vegapunk had me stay overnight at that lab of his. We moved you the next morning, but you were in a position similar to the one you're in now."

"Position? What do you mean? Was I stuck?"

She nodded, "You're surrounded by a tangled mass of roots right now. Vegapunk had to take a saw to them in order to move you around."

If I was mobile, I would have smacked myself in the face. _'It's so freaking obvious! I'm a Ki no Hitobito, of course I'm surrounded by wood! It's literally part of who I am!_' I groaned and tried to smack the back of my head on the pillow below me, but I was held fast by the roots. I huffed at my own slow thinking, then smiled, _'Who would've thought, eh Jii-san? The last of us is too stupid to remember who we are.'_

I wiggled my toes and froze. I stretched the fingers on my right hand to my thigh and gently prodded the flesh there. My fingers bumped into smooth, even skin and my smile could light the sky. "Did the fruit heal me?" I asked hopefully. I noticed my voice was considerably less scratchy and my hands were held more strength than before.

The only other person in the room matched my expression, "Yes." She said, "Doctor Vegapunk told me about this new fruit having all three types of powers." She swung an arm out, and arms sprouted from her elbow, "I, myself have eaten the Hana-Hana no Mi, a paramecia devil fruit." My eyes bugged out of my skull at it. Sure, I'd seen it before, but that was in the rush of adrenaline and my worry of being trapped. "It lets me duplicate any part of my body onto any surface I can see." The extra arms disappeared in puffs of flower petals. "If you really have all three powers, then you have been healed with your logia powers."

"Logia?"

"The most powerful and some of the rarest devil fruits. People that eat them gain the power to control a force of nature."

I smiled ruefully, "What are the chances of that happening, huh? The kid that came from a plant eats a plant that gives him control over plants." I frowned, "Did Vegapunk say anything to me before you took me with you?"

Robin reached one of her arms into the inner pocket of her leather short-jacket and pulled out a sheet of paper. She stood close enough to me so that I could see what she was doing. How kind of her. She unfolded the sheet and read aloud,

"_Suchiruamu, I don't have very much time, so I'm sending this letter with Nico Robin. Remember what I told you concerning the marines and the World Government. They won't stop until you're back in their grasp. I'm afraid you're now wanted. My apologies. _

_Nico Robin and I discovered you in the center of a mass of roots, and I had to cut you out of it. Right now, you're probably on the sea going wherever Robin takes you. I hope it's to Easy Blue, but I'm not there, so all I can do is wish. I'm banking on the honor of two pirates, now. _

_The Torio Mokuzai no Mi is… dangerous, something not human in any capacity of the word. I believe the demon inside forced me to make you ingest the glowy-power-thing. One thing is for certain, the fruit repaired you better than my tender mercies could ever have done. Remember that even the mightiest of men can be killed by something as stupid as tripping on a rock. It's happened before._

_Never let your guard down and don't try to swim._

_-Dr. Vegapunk."_

After Robin finished reading the letter, she reached into her jacket and pulled two familiar sticks out, placing them onto a shelf next to my head. She smiled, "The doctor wanted to return those." I let out a bark of laughter and closed my eyes.

After a few moments of silence, I tried extricating myself from the wooden web I found myself suspended in. The wood around the room creaked and Robin put an end to that quickly, "I would advise you _not_ do that. Unless of course you want to sink the ship we're in."

I grimaced, "Well, what do you suggest then?"

She sat on one of the protruding roots and put a finger to her chin, "When I first got my powers, they were completely out of control. My travels lead me to one of the four Seas, and I found a man who helped to teach me how to reign them in."

"Does this mean that you're going to teach me?"

She smiled, "Not exactly. You already know how to do everything involved with this. You just breath and relax. Not everybody has the patience for it, but if you manage to do it properly, you can have some sense of control faster than anybody else with devil fruit powers."

She grew an arm and gently placed it on my forehead. "Close your eyes and relax." Robin said, slowly sweeping the hand over my eyes to close them.

As instructed, I breathed slowly and evenly, making sure to let whatever control I had over myself grow limp. As I tried to sink into the bed, I heard Robin start to hum an unfamiliar tune.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

There was nothing but the gentle sway of the sea, the sound of Robin's voice, and breathing.

Suddenly, I seemingly lost my connection to the rest of the ship in a dizzying second. I still felt Robin sitting on one of the roots, but anything outside of the room and anything not touching wood was gone. My breath hitched, but I determinedly kept my eyes shut.

In.

Out.

Robin moved off of the root and took a place on the bed. Like snakes moving through the water, the roots retreated back into me. My head rested more solidly on the pillow it was on, and my lower legs lay fully on the sheets.

Robin switched to something else, and I smiled, recognizing the old lullaby. My voice joined hers.

Just as I laid fully on the mattress, I heard a voice that was definitely not Nico Robin. "Gooood." It hissed. I felt myself go rigid, _'I know that voice!'_ My eyebrows knotted and I sat up, relishing the fact that I was able to do so. I opened them and turned to Robin, who was looking at me with a mixed expression. "Did you hear that?" I asked, just to see if it was just me who heard the voice.

She smiled and looked at the wall, "That's just the ship creaking. They all do that, Andoru."

'_Hmm. Obviously not.'_ I nodded in faux understanding, "Oh. Doctor Vegapunk's ship didn't do that." Deciding to switch the topic, I poked at my real, functioning legs. "Wow… Those logia powers are really cool."

My gaze was pointed at my legs when my irritatingly long bangs swung right into my eyes. I grunted in annoyance and swept them out of my face. After they didn't relent, I reached over to the two hair sticks on the bedside table.

I turned to Robin, who had stood and was about to exit the room. "Robin!" I called. She turned around and I presented the sticks, "Could you help me with these? I can never get them right."

The woman hesitated briefly, then gestured for me to follow her. "Let's go outside and pin your hair up. It's a good day for sunbathing."

I silently trailed behind her as we exited the room and went through what looked like a room filled with sea charts. I looked around for a minute before Robin beckoned me to the next room, a kitchen.

She pushed open the heavy door at the far side of the kitchen and I was blasted with sunlight. I reflexively squinted, but discovered that the bright light didn't bother me at all.

We came out into the sunny day and I breathed in deeply, taking in as much of the fresh, salty air as I could. I sighed out appreciatively and Robin shook her head, "Come on, Andoru." She led me to a lawn chair and settled behind me. I felt her take handfuls of my hair and bring them back. "So." She started, "Pretty-chan, eh?"

I groaned. I should have stayed inside.

**[l]**

* * *

I was sitting near the rudder of the small boat Robin and I were on, staring deeply into a glass ball. I've only seen one other of these objects, and supposedly Vegapunk found the other one on my Uncle Jon's old fishing boat. Robin told me that she'd gotten the eternal pose from the guy that asked her to take me to East Blue. When I asked her if we were really going to East Blue she just shrugged, saying that she was free to go after taking me to this guy.

The needle on the eternal pose wobbled slightly to the side and I adjusted the rudder to correct our course. For the past week or so, Robin had been teaching me how to navigate the seas, starting with the Grand Line. Even though I've lived on an island in the Grand Line, I've never known how crazy of a place it was. Just a couple of minutes ago, these cold, white flakes started to fall from the sky. Other than some khaki shorts and some tee-shirts that Vegapunk had put on the small boat, I didn't have any warm clothing, so it was very cold.

I rubbed my arms together and tried to make myself as small as possible. Who would've known that something so innocent and happy drifting down from the sky could be so evil? _'I still hate the cold_.' I grumbled.

Robin was inside the cabin, making something to eat for the two of us, so I was stuck out here all alone in the falling flakes. I saw water spraying in the sea in front of the boat and my heart sunk. The vicious wind sent up a wave that crashed over the bow, splattering me with thick drops of brine. I reeled back and shivered.

With shaking hands, I pocketed the eternal pose and locked the rudder in place. I was only going to be gone for a couple seconds. I need some kind of blanket, because I can't stay out here in a shirt and shorts. Rising to my feet, I darted over to the stairwell and descended quickly. I turned to the right and opened the door to the cabin.

Robin was staring into the pot of boiling water as if in a trance. A stiff wind came through the open door and I hastily shut the door. She glanced up and smiled at the white flaky stuff in my hair. "What's wrong, Andoru?"

I shook my head, "Nothing. I came in to ask where you keep the blankets for bad weather." She nodded and pointed to a wardrobe in the corner. I marched over there, trying not to track any snow inside. I grabbed a thick wool blanket with a waxy outside to resist the rain. "Thanks Robin!" I called, walking back outside. Unseen to me, Robin had a knowing smile on her face.

I closed the door behind me and my face dropped. It is as if nothing happened, the sun is shining, the sea is calm, and not a speck of that white stuff was in sight. I took the blanket back to the rudder and pulled the eternal pose out, shaking my head. "This is the strangest sea ever."

**[l]**

* * *

The sun was turning the sky a rosy red, and the sea soaked up that color, becoming the color of sakura petals in the spring. It was later in that same day and Robin and I were trying to get my powers to respond. She had taken a seat on the lawn chair on the main deck, and I was cross-legged in front of her. The sails were furled, and the ship was gently bobbing on the water. There would be no more sailing today.

"Come on, try again."

I concentrated, pointing my palm at the sky. I searched within myself for the power I knew was in there and let it flow from the tips of my fingers and into the world outside. Slowly, little green shoots appeared to come up and I smiled. "C'mon… you can do it." I urged the plants, feeling rather silly as I did so, but they were more alive than I thought. I knew from personal experience that all plants have a certain life to them beyond just growing. If somebody saw the forests of Toranku Island before it burned down, they would know that something was… different about it.

I brought my arm down, coaxing the plants to grow out of my hand to reach where they were before. Just like they'd done earlier in the day, the little green shoots stretched toward the sky, thickening to stay upright like grass. I smiled radiantly, _'I knew you could do it!'_ I thought to my plants. I heard Robin telling me to go further, and I willed the grass to twist together like a rope. To my joy, the five little blades responded, winding themselves together in a happy little braid.

I grinned up at Robin, "This is fun!" I undid the little braid and grew the grass even more. Soon there were five strands of grass about two feet long. "Close your eyes, I wanna try something." I said to Robin. I waited until she complied, albeit with a roll of her eyes, before I twirled the grass into a rope, my tongue poking out of the corner of my lips. Once I finished warping and wefting the strands, I carefully tore the blades of grass off.

I eyed one of Robin's wrists and weighed the braid in my hand. _'It doesn't feel too bad.'_ I grinned, _'This'll be a lot easier than slapping a deer.'_ Using all the sneaking skills that I gained throughout my short life, I approached Robin. With both hands on the braid, I encircled one of her wrists, taking special care to not touch her skin. When either end of the grass met, I made them attach to one another. "There." I said, backing off. "How'd I do?"

Robin opened her eyes and examined the simple bracelet on her wrist. She turned it about and gave me an impressed look, "You learn quickly." She said with a nod. Her lips quirked up in a teasing smile, "But I'm more partial to leather or precious metals, myself."

I rolled my eyes, "Sorry," I said, "Next time I get _leather_ powers, I'll make sure to get you something better. Till then, you're going to have to suffer through grass jewelry."

She smiled, then put on a false air of haughtiness. Robin presented the wrist with a hand on her hip condescendingly, "Remove this… monstrosity from me, peasant." She sniffed. "I do not wish to partake in your foolish games of dress-up!" I immediately hammed it up and started grovelling at her feet with a few 'yes, mistress's and 'your word is law, master's.

She stood there for a few seconds before I started cracking up. She smiled, then did her strange laugh, "Fufufufu!" I beamed at her, glad that she didn't just throw away the bracelet. She leaned over and rustled my green hair, looking at the swiftly descending sun. She sighed and straightened out, moving past me and to the door leading inside. "Let's bunk down for the night," She said. "I want to be sailing again early in the morning, so we should bed down now to wake up early."

I followed her obediently, not arguing with her. I sped up to come up next to Robin, "Maybe we can see the sunrise!" I said. Even though the two of us were out over a week, my mornings were spent drawing the mass of roots back into myself so I can start the day. I always woke up near sunrise, but the time spent retracting the roots always took a while. To my credit, it was getting faster every day. "My uncle told me that there's nothing better than a sunrise on the sea." We passed into the cabin, and I slipped my geta sandals off at the door. "He used to be a fisherman and stayed overnight on the sea a lot. Aunt Koeda didn't like it when he went out for a long time, but he always came back okay."

We came to a door in the hallway and Robin opened the door to her room and bid me goodnight. I repeated the farewell then continued down the short hall to the mostly empty room that was used to store ammunition and weapons. Because a single person couldn't hope to use all that weaponry, Robin told me she bought the ship without the cannons, only keeping a few rifles, and their ammunition. I didn't know how she got the money, and I didn't ask. It wasn't polite to pry. The point is that Robin had me sleep here (after moving the weapons away of course) so that the nightly growth of roots didn't destroy anything that we needed.

I pushed the door open to my temporary room and went in, stretching tiredly. It was a long day at sea. The only things in the room was a small box with my clothes in it and a hammock by the side wall. Anything else would be wrecked by the time morning came. I was kind of embarrassed at the fact that I couldn't even sleep in a furnished room, but I accepted that this arrangement was for the best.

Besides, I don't really need all that much. As long as I have a place to rest my head each night, I'm fine with however little I have. I'd much rather take this than the perpetual dull drone of Oninoiwa Spire. The gentle sway and the sound of waves were relaxing.

As I climbed into the hammock, I shuddered, remembering my bad case of seasickness. _'When I hit dry land, I'm going to be in such bad shape…'_ I thought sadly. I probably didn't feel the first wave of sickness because I was thankfully unconscious, and my body had already adjusted to the pitching and heaving of the sea. When my feet are once more on solid land, it's going to, for a lack of a better word, suck.

I tried to banish the thought of my questionable sea-legs and huddle down to sleep, curling that wool blanket I took from the closet around me. As I lay there in the darkness, I couldn't help but think of what happened for me to get here. Buggy, Vegapunk, Violette, the destroyed forest, the devil fruits, and finally, Robin. She was a mystery, but I like her. It'll be sad when she goes away after dropping me off.

I sighed and closed my eyes. Tomorrow was another day.

**[l]**

* * *

I jolted upright, panting heavily and holding a hand over my scars. My heart was racing against my ribcage, the sound of rushing blood pounded through my ears. I swallowed thickly, _'Just a nightmare.'_ This was one of the more recurring ones, where I had to watch my family get cut down time and time again. I took a deep breath, then ran my fingers through my hair. There was no Kaa-chan or Tou-san to hold me and tell me that it was all just a dream, that it wasn't real.

This one was real, though. And that made it even more terrifying.

I grit my teeth and flipped the blanket off off me. It fluttered to the floor silently and I climbed out of the hammock. There would be no more sleeping tonight. There was only a couple of errant roots sticking out of me, making me look like some kind of child with a horrible hair problem. I glared down at the protruding wood and willed it back inside of me. Using my wood powers was strange, the plantlife didn't actually stay as wood inside of, say, my arms, but rather it just… disappeared. I don't know if there's a limit on how much comes out, but I want to find out, if only to try and find some way to increase that limit.

I gathered up the blanket and walked out the door, shutting it gently behind me. It was still chilly from the night, so I wrapped the waxy blanket around my shoulders as I went towards the main deck. I hesitated in front of Robin's room, then shook my head, better to let her sleep. As I crossed into the room with all the sea charts, I grabbed the eternal pose. _'Robin did say that she wanted to start early.'_

I made my way through the kitchen, snatching a stale loaf of bread before going to the door. Slipping my geta on, I cautiously opened the heavy door that separated the lower decks from the outside. I paused before adding a small pitcher of water to my collection of items. I nodded, _'Now I'm ready.'_

The crescent moon was high in the sky as I exited the inside of the ship, basking me with dim light. I walked up to the rungs on the main mast and clambered up. Once I reached the horizontal beam, I crawled to the rope holding the side of the sail I was on. I was always good at tying and untying things, so the knot was simple enough to undo. I undid the next knot on the side then watched as the white sail quickly fell and began to strain against the other knots. I cursed then scrambled to the other knots. Luckily, there were only two before all the rope fastenings were undone.

I nodded in approval then climbed down the ladder. After scooping up the blanket, bread and water, I went up the stairs to the rudder. I unlocked the large wooden lever then plonked down onto the deck, wrapping myself up to avoid the chill. Pulling the eternal pose from my pocket, I pushed the rudder into alignment.

Once that was done I took a sip of water and stared into the sky. _'Stars are pretty tonight.'_

I hunkered down and leaned against the wall behind me, the wood being the only thing separating me from careening into the seas below. I didn't care, I was a good swimmer. Even if I fell I could just swim back over to the ship and climb up the ladder on the side.

That was how Robin found me in the morning.

**[l]**

* * *

**AN: Yes, there is a lot of time skipping in this chapter, but you'll have to bear with me. Until Andoru turns eighteen, I'm going to skip around. I'll try my best to make the time skips logical, but I also want to get to the canon story as quickly as I can. Next chapter will see the East Blue Sea, and a couple chapters later the ball will FINALLY get rolling. If you wanted more action, then I'll have some in the next chapter. If you read this fic before I deleted the original copy, then you know what's coming and what to expect. *Shrugs***

**Is anyone else excited about this rewrite? I personally can't wait until I'm done with Andoru's past and he's with Luffy and Zoro… again.**

**Please review, and have a good day.**

**Lancer-of-the-Sun**


	4. Chapter 4: Stupid Mistakes

**Chapter 4: Stupid Mistakes**

**AN: Hi. I took two days off from writing to read. *Shrugs* Just a little break, I suppose. We all need one, which is probably why you might be reading this. If that's the case, good on you! You probably deserve a break!**

**Just a little side note, I plan on only translating the attacks or moves once per chapter. It happens to me all the time when reading and having an author spam the translations over and over again gets kind of annoying after a while. Especially when you know exactly what the thing is translated into.**

**Get me? I hope you understand.**

**I like getting reviews, even though most of them are for Juuichi, so any feedback (even flaming or hatred) is appreciated. Reviews mean that I can know what to do in the future of the story.**

**Reviews are, quite simply, POWER.**

**-TLS**

"Speech"

'_Thought'_

**"Attacks! (Translations!)"**

**[l]**

* * *

I was laying in a soft bed like a rock, but that's about all I can tell. All of my senses were deadened to the point that it felt like thick cotton was jammed in my nose, ears, mouth, and a hearty layer covered every inch of my skin, including my eyes. I could not move, but it wasn't because of roots, oh no. I couldn't feel a wood-network around me. My strength had been sapped, and I couldn't do anything but lay there.

For the first time in my life, I felt completely exposed.

'_I need to get out.'_ I thought. Thankfully, my mind was left as it normally would be. So I decided to use that to my full advantage.

I thought back to how I got here, however long ago that was.

**[l]**

* * *

Rubbing my eyes wearily, I looked up at the sea in front of the ship. My eyes narrowed at the long strip of black clouds at the horizon. I checked the pose and frowned. It pointed directly at the clouds. I locked the rudder in place and unraveled the cocoon of blanket that I was in.

Taking a sip of the water and a nibble of bread, I got up. I swept a hand through my green hair and found it matted and greasy, to my disgust.

While simultaneously wiping a hand on the khaki shorts given to me by Vegapunk, I trudged down the stairs to where I saw Robin looking at me with a book in her lap. Not one to dilly-dally, I held up the eternal pose so she could see it. "We're headed right into a storm if we stay on this course. I don't know how long it'll take for us to get to it, but it looks like a big one."

Robin tilted her head upwards and covered an eye with her hand. I looked up at the sails and saw a single blue eye near the top of the mast, which disappeared in a puff of pink flower petals. "It seems like a bad one, but it's only a bluff." She said. "We'll be fine if we simply continue on our course." Robin smiled slightly at me while I looked blankly at her, "I've been around these before. They're false storms. It will seem like we are in a storm up until we hit the clouds, after that, nothing but a dark sky. There's nothing to worry about."

"I'll take your word for it," I said brusquely, all the while turning to go back to my little 'nest' by the rudder. After I climbed back into the waxy blanket and wrapped it back around myself, I let my head fall back, hitting the protective wall with a thud. I was so tired. I just want to sleep without having nightmares. I felt the sun's rays on my face and grimaced, feeling the warm embrace of the bright orb erase my weariness. There was no way that I'd get any rest with the sun shining like that.

With my hopes of sleeping dashed, I tore out a chunk of the bread viciously. I let some roots seep out of me and burrow into the deck, the sense of being connected with my surroundings grounded me in reality. I felt two small feet padding their way up the stairs and I lifted my head off the wall to see Robin with a friendly smile on her face. Looking at the eternal pose to make sure it stayed pointing forward, I locked the rudder in place. I gazed into the sea as the water became choppy.

We were closing in on the 'false storm.' It was coming in fast.

Nico Robin settled down next to me gracefully, looking into the sea just as I was. I closed my eyes and let it rest back on the wall. "Why are you doing this, Robin?" I asked, "You didn't have to come to the Grand Line to pick me up at all. You could have just stayed at home instead of listening to Vegapunk."

Robin's voice surprised me. She was normally such a stoic, unreadable person, and hearing her voice laced with sadness was new. "Andoru-kun. We're both living in a world where we have to fight to survive. I did what I was told to survive. I don't have a home, either." She took my jug of water and drank deeply from it, uncaring of the fact I'd drank from it earlier. "And you know what?" She asked while wiping the excess from her lips, " I was told that there would be a poneglyph on Oninoiwa Spire."

I knew where this was headed. "You were betrayed, weren't you?"

She nodded, "Taking you to East Blue was only a side part of the deal." Robin looked at me and offered the drink, "Tell me, Andoru. What is your dream?"

"Dream? What do dreams have to do with this?" I asked.

Robin drew a knee up to her chest and rested her chin on it. "Dreams have everything to do with this, Andoru. People with dreams are the ones that change the world. The people with aspirations like Gol D. Roger."

"Aspiration? Isn't that when you sweat?"

Robin gave one of her light giggles and a smile, "No, that's perspiration. Aspiration is the will to succeed, a desired ambition."

I crossed my arms. "What does ambition have to do with you taking me to East Blue? You have an entire sea out there, but you're acting as a delivery service for a person that you just met about a week ago."

"That's where my dreams come in." Robin said. She gestured to herself, "My dream is to find the Rio Poneglyph, a stone that tells the history of the Void Century. Scattered around the world are indestructible cubes of stone that have writing on them, these are the poneglyphs. I'll never stop looking for them until I find the one that has the Void Century's history."

I connected the dots. "You thought that the Cube Lab could have been the Rio Poneglyph?" She nodded. My face twisted into a disgusted scowl, "So in exchange for seeing the cube, you get to cart me around? What am I, some kind of… bargain?"

Robin shook her head, "No, Andoru. It's alright that the Cube wasn't a poneglyph. I still have a few leads until I'm out of places to search." She turned to me again, "So let me ask you again. What's your dream, Andoru? What's the one ambition that you have?"

My face darkened, "My family is dead. My people were about to become more of a legend than they already are. The four other people on the entire island I lived my life on were the last. Now that they're gone, I have nothing. It would have been more merciful had I died back on Toranku." I grit my teeth, "Now I'm here in the middle of the ocean with orders from a man that saved me even when I just wanted to die. He told me that I would be his legacy, and that I would save the world. I was to stay away from the marines and become a pirate."

"Why should I have a dream, Robin? I won't live long enough to have one. If the marines don't get me, then the pirates will find me to finish off the job." I spat. "The only thing pirates do is destroy everything and ruin people's lives. I refuse to become like them, and I have half of a mind to just let the ancient demon be freed. Let the people be destroyed so they can't do evil any more."

Robin raised an eyebrow, "And what about the innocent people? The children? The orphans, like you?"

"I would welcome my death. Without my family, there's nothing for me to live for. I deserve to die, because that means those bastard pirates lose, alongside all of the marines that want to use something that can't possibly be controlled."

"What about me?" Robin asked. "Would you let me die without a second thought?"

I grit my teeth, refusing to answer even as my heart twisted. _'I can't let that happen to Robin… she's done nothing wrong. This isn't fair!'_ I saw Toranku burning, and then I saw a vision of a great city burning. _'They'd lose their homes just like I lost mine!'_

Then Robin said something that made me go rigid, something that made me feel like the scum of the world.

"You would be lesser than the lowest criminal. You are not Kami, who dictates what happens to everyone on this earth." She folded her arms over her chest, "If you let everyone die, then you become the person that you've said you'd refuse to become."

I put my face in my hands. "Robin… How?" My voice cracked, "How did you do it? I have the entire world against me here, and if I don't do something, I might go crazy."

She put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into a one-armed embrace. "Find a dream, Andoru. You have to find something that-"

"I want to be free again, Robin." I interrupted. "Ever since my family died there has been so many things shoved into my arms that I didn't want." My shoulders drooped, "I have to finish this, even if it kills me, so I can finally be free."

Robin smiled sadly, as if she knew my pain and squeezed me tightly, "See? It's as easy as that." She stood up and offered a hand to help me join her. I sighed and got out of my blanket, letting her pull me to my feet. "Now go wash up. You look terrible." I was about to protest but she'd have none of it, "I'll take care of the ship. After all, I've been navigating it solo for a long time, now."

I snorted humorlessly but complied nonetheless, making my way down the steps. At the base I paused and looked at Robin, internally debating whether I should say what I wanted to or not. She noticed my look and asked, "Do you need something, Andoru?"

I cursed internally, "Um, ah… What if I have nightmares again?"

Her face softened, "You've been having nightmares?" Begrudgingly, I nodded. She looked like she was internally debating something with herself before she sighed. "Andoru, if you can manage to keep your roots inside of yourself in the night, I'll let you sleep in my room." Robin gave me a hopeful smile, "I can keep the nightmares away."

I looked at her in awe, "You can?" That's it, decision made, done deal. I was sleeping in Robin's room at night. I nodded, "Yeah! I can totally keep the roots in!" I paused, "But… where am I going to sleep right now?"

Robin crossed her arms, "Well, you aren't going to sleep right now because you need to get cleaned up." She quirked an eyebrow, "In case you haven't noticed, we sleep at _night_." She looked at the sky, "I don't think that the sun is out during the night."

I blushed, "Yeah, of course… What'll I do then?"

"You get a shower and come back out here, Mr. Navigator."

**[l]**

* * *

I had to pump enough water for a shower, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and then Robin had me practice using my Mokuzai-Mokuzai powers while she watched and manned (womaned?) the rudder despite having said I would be doing so. The little ship we were on was moving quite fast through the waters, slicing the waves elegantly as the storm steadily approached. There was evidence of the 'false storm' everywhere; the water was getting rough, the sky had darkened, and the wind had picked up.

I was making thick vines and twirling them about, seeing if I couldn't manage to snag them on something to swing on like a monkey. Using powers that I know were available to my ancestors prior to the Great Sacrifice was exhilarating, and I could hardly keep the smile off my face. Of course, Vegapunk told me that my powers would be greater than even my ancestors, but I couldn't see it yet. Like with my muscles, I need to train with them I guess.

I swung a vine in a circle, then threw it forward, catching a piece of rigging above me. Laughing, I jerked on the vine to tighten it then swung over to land on the lower deck. "This is fun!" I said, watching another vine slither out of my wrist and onto the deck. I threw that arm forward, and missed grabbing anything, but it was fun anyway as I reeled the vine back in from the sea.

My powers are like an extension of myself, and using them was just like anything else, I needed practice. Ever since I first drew the roots back into myself when I first woke up, every subsequent use of my powers was easier. I'm not going to try to fool myself, I know that it's going to take a long time to master my devil fruit powers. There's no such thing as instantly mastering your powers, even though I knew how to use them after waking up. Yes, I needed Robin's help, but somehow, I already knew the solution to the problem.

I heaved a vine and snagged a rung of the metal pegs sticking out of the mast. I glanced over to where Robin was sitting on the upper deck and pursed my lips in thought. _'I wanna see if I can get up there from over here without using the stairs.'_

So I took a running start and swung out sideways over the water. The moment my feet left the deck, a mighty gust of wind rocked Robin's ship. Because it was so small, the ship nearly tipped onto its side.

Luckily, this meant that I was swung high up into the air and could let go to get to the upper deck. Not so luckily, the vine was still firmly hooked onto the mast. I had only one direction to go, and that was down.

The whiplash flipped me off of the vine like Tou-san flipped the table after losing a card game. I was left to spin in the air like a pinwheel, and I saw the water approaching fast.

TOO FAST!

I slammed into the sea with enough force to make a cannonball feel jealous.

Instant darkness.

**[l]**

* * *

I woke up here, on this soft bed, unable to hear, feel, see, taste, or smell anything.

'_How'd I get here? Who saved me?'_

More importantly, what happened to Robin? A series of images, each more horrific than the last flashed through my head. Robin getting swallowed by the sea, never to be seen again. Robin being flung off of the ship, cracking her head open on the railing.

Robin with a rope wrapped around her thin ivory neck, struggling weakly under the water.

'_No! No, NO! Robin is fine!' _I started straining against my own body, yelling at it, pleading with it to do something. A twitch, facial expression, anything, '_JUST MOVE, DAMN YOU!'_

I knew I was crying, it hurt too much to think of her for me not to. My chest rose slightly and fell weakly. It was the most I could do, not even my eyes could move.

Helplessness is something I've felt only once before, when I was tied up and forced to watch murder by a madman. This feeling is not one that should be experienced, having one's life dangling at the whim of someone else. Destiny should only be held by the individual.

And that's why I hate what has happened to me. I have no control, I have no _freedom_. My only means of escape from my burden is to finish it. The thing is, I don't know how to complete the task set in front of me. The only thing I was told was to stay away from the marines. Even then, I will be hiding for all my life.

'_I can't save myself… I can't even save Robin.' _I thought. I steeled myself, _'No! Wherever she is, she isn't dead! Robin still has to find the Rio Poneglyph!'_

I couldn't possibly trick myself into believing such a thing. I knew she was dead. The sly, smiling, laughing Robin was gone.

I couldn't breathe, my chest felt like there was a house pressing down atop of me. The little gasps of breath were by no means good enough.

I never truly had any hope of resisting the call of darkness.

**[l]**

* * *

_A golden eagle soared above the water, watching as the waves flashed by below it. It did not fear the water, for the water was below it, and it was in no danger. _

_Then a floating figure bobbing gently in the roiling waves caught its eye. The eagle felt wind caressing its feathers as it dove downward. Just before it collided with the sea, it swept its wings up, and a talon snatched the black object out of the water._

_With mighty strokes, the eagle returned to the sky once more. There was a concerned gleam in its eyes as it rolled off to the left, turning back the way it came from. _

_But the sea was not happy that its bounty was stolen. A wave emerged and reached its way upward to the eagle, but it was too fast. By the time the wave crested, it was already in the clouds._

_For a little bit, the eagle had some peace, but it knew the sea wouldn't give up so easily. The endless stretch of blue would twist the minds of the eagle's fellow birds and the chase would be on. With that thought in mind, the eagle took to soaring, preserving its energy until the time came that it would have to speed away. Thankfully, the precious cargo in the eagle's talons was light enough to not burden the mighty bird._

_The gold-brown raptor heard them before it saw them. A cacophonous squawking and rustling feathers. The eagle looked forward and saw its home, a grand nest sheltered on the side of rocky brown mountain a ways off. So it sped up, cutting through the air like an arrow. Only one other was as fast as the eagle, and it knew that he was coming. The noise quickly became nothing more than a memory. All that remained was the sound of water crashing against the foot of the mountain._

_When the eagle drew close to its nest, it came to a stop. Flapping in the air, the eagle gingerly deposited its load onto the soft straw. For the first time, the eagle's burden let out a soft sound of pain. Sharp yellow eyes examined the other creature that it risked the sea's ire for. The other bird was blacker than midnight, with ominous ruffles of feathers adorning its sides. Icy blue filled with torment stared back at the golden eagle._

_The cause of the raven's pain was easy to see. Both of its wings were shattered, left to be dangling limply at its sides. It croaked softly, and the golden eagle bowed its head. This raven would be bound to the earth for the rest of its life._

_The eagle was about to start looking for something that the raven could eat when the multitude of grating calls resumed. It let out a shrill cry of annoyance. The golden eagle was expecting this, but it was still a hassle nonetheless._

_A black murder of crows descended upon the eagle and the raven, circling the nest on the mountainside so as to blot out the sun. The eagle spread its wings protectively and put its back to the injured bird in its nest. From the murder came a large black form cloaked in shining ebony plumage._

_The large bird flapped a few times and landed arrogantly on the eagle's sovereign property. The eagle was no fool, it knew exactly why he, the king of ravens, was here. The sea had called him and told him about what was stolen. The king wanted his daughter back._

_The sea is a terrible, hateful thing. It revels in destruction and wouldn't think twice about using deceit to further its own riches. It was rather like a dragon in that sense. But dragons aren't real, they're just the fantasy stories that nest mothers tell their young._

_The king fixed the golden eagle with a steely glare, accusing it of all without making a sound._

_The eagle, not one for making unnecessary noise gestured to the sea with a wing, and then folded his wing to gesture to itself. The eagle was the one that saved the raven from the clutches of the sea, not the king._

_He stepped forward, getting into the eagle's personal space, demanding her return with a loud croaky caw. By now the assembled murder had settled on the cliff, either bored from a lack of action or tired from the frenzied pace that had to be set to reach the eagle's nest. Now they looked on in interest, waiting to see what their ruler would do to this brown-wings._

_The eagle stood fast and thrust its beak into the air, defying the raven in front of it. At this show of disrespect, the king spread his wings and sent a gust of air at the eagle's face, reprimanding it. Eagle sent a warning croak rumbling from its throat, but the raven was not deterred and flapped his wings in the eagle's face again._

_Not one to be insulted twice, the eagle's beak shot forward and stopped a hairsbreadth away from the raven's exposed neck. The king of the ravens froze, and got a very real reminder why the former king, Sparrow, exiled eagle and its family. Eagle is a dangerous bird to be around._

_Raven's shock gave way to rage. This… this worthless exile dared threaten the king of birds!? The midnight black bird glanced at the assembled murder, watching them flit around uneasily. Raven couldn't allow the eagle to take his power away from him. As it is, it's difficult enough to keep the birds together as one. Eagle doesn't understand what it takes to be the king, and having his daughter taken away from him only shows weakness as a ruler._

_Weak rulers give way to revolts and power struggles, and the birds could not survive another one after the death of Frigatebird the Magnificent._

_Raven was desperately holding his position as king, and when the sea informed him of the location of his daughter, he knew he only had one chance, and one choice. The king of ravens had to get her back at all costs, even if it meant killing another. Eagle was a threat to everything that the kingdom stood for, and after raven made a public action against the eagle, his position as a leader would become uncontested._

_This was the raven's only chance and he knew it._

_The golden eagle saw what the king of the ravens was about to do and dove forward, knocking the black bird off of its mountainside nest angrily. The eagle had humored this posturing, spineless, coward of a leader for long enough. It was time for action._

**[l]**

* * *

I jolted upwards with my eyes twisted shut, "YAAAAAGH!" I yelled, clutching at my chest.

A rather grubby man smiled toothily, "Ah! He awakens!" He rubbed his hands together, "Tell me boy, how ya feeling?"

I groaned and curled up into the a ball. It felt like somebody had used me as target practice for one of Vegapunk's new inventions. I cracked an eye open, and got stabbed by white light. Again, I thanked my ancestors for having such a handy ability as not being photosensitive.

Vegapunk taught me that word, and I felt myself fill with a warm pride at using it in a sentence.

The room I was in was quite gaudy, actually. All the walls were polished wood, gleaming with a red-brown that would make a carpenter drool. The carpeting was exquisitely fluffy and white, looking like the clouds in the sky. The ceiling was a mural of fat little cherubs tending to a mustached man clothed in silk robes sitting on a grand throne.

Whoever had this room designed obviously had terrible taste. Eugh.

The strangest part of the room was the rather grubby, short and stubby, altogether tubby man, who hovered by my elbow with a tartar-yellow grin that looked like swamp foam. In fact, he stood out like a black grease smear on a tablecloth; one that everyone noticed and bothered them to no end. His long coat could have once been white, but it was so filthy that it was the color of tar. Again, he rubbed his greasy palms together, staring at me with uncomfortable intensity. "No really. Tell me, I need to know how it worked!" He had a funny little accent. It was the forced voice of somebody trying to act smooth but was horrible at it, but at the same time, it sounded like the guy gargled glass shards in his spare time.

I shifted, trying to ignore the soreness of my chest and stomach. "What worked? I don't know what you're talking about."

He looked aghast, oily eyebrows pointed skyward, "Surely you can… You can feel it, can't you?"

"I couldn't feel very much of anything until recently." I said. I remember taking an ocean to the stomach after playing around with my powers, and after that… I shuddered. Whatever that suppressed feeling that locked me in place was, I never want to feel it ever again. Once was quite enough, thank you very much.

And then there was that weird dream.

The man clapped happily, "Good! Good, goodie, good. That means that it's working!" He turned very serious then, like a switch got flipped, "I wouldn't be talking to you right now if it hadn't worked. Whoever messed with ya body is obviously a very talented person."

I had just about had it with the pronoun game, "If _what_ hadn't worked!?" I cried. It couldn't be helped, I was irritable after not getting a straight answer, and anxious about waking up in yet another strange place. To top it all off, Robin was still gone, I need to find her, dammit! I will _not_ have another death on my hands.

Greaseball seemed to snap out of a trance, "Huh? Oh. I just stabbed joo wit a stick. It exploded into pieces and sunk into your body. Kinda weird." He mumbled at the end. "Anyway you're awake now, and that means you can tell me ya story." He said. The man pulled up a grand-looking chair and slimed into it, peering into my green eyes unblinkingly with his bloodshot muddy-brown ones. Just then I noticed that he absolutely _reeked_ of smoke. I tried not to cough or gag as my eyes watered. _'Kami above! Doesn't this guy do anything but smoke?'_ How anybody could live like that was beyond me.

I really didn't want to tell Smoky McGreasypalms about Robin. She was a pirate, and I didn't want to betray her trust, as conflicting as that sounds. "I… Did you find me near a ship? I was on one for a while, but…" I trailed off.

The man laughed obnoxiously loudly, as if my sheepish mumbling was the funniest thing in the world. He slapped his knee as a tear raced down his face, streaking down like a bolt of lightning due to all the oil. After a couple minutes of breathless wheezing, he finally responded, "Heh heh, hoo! You're a funny one ain't joo?" He smiled fakely, "Of course I found you near a boat you idiot. Nobody swims through these waters. Last time I checked we was still on the Grand Line. You'd be stupid not to go on a ship."

I scratched the back of my neck and laughed nervously, "Heh, yeah. You're right."

The man slung an arm around my shoulders (which almost slipped right off). I gagged as his stench hit me again. "C'mon!" He said with too much cheerfulness, "Let me take you on a tour of the ship!" I had no chance to respond as he dragged me off of the wonderfully soft bed and onto the wonderfully soft carpet.

My feet hit the floor and I almost collapsed from the combined efforts of the stink and my own weakness. _'Why am I so weak? I was perfectly fine back on Robin's ship.'_ I couldn't contemplate this newfound flaw before I was bodily hauled forward.

We approached an ornate door, and before I could get a look at it, a grimy, black boot planted itself into the handle. The expensive-looking entrance crashed open and pounded against the opposite wall. "Y'see, my little friend, you're lucky you happened to have such a nice guy like me come around." He said, leading me through a fancy hall. "When I come 'bout, you was layin' on that deck. Nothin' me or my boys did woke you up, so we just stuck ya in the guest bedroom figurin' you'd wake up on your own." The man liked to talk with his hands, and every time his free hand gestured up, five grimy silver rings flashed in the light.

"Funny thing is, we picked up a bird at that little boat of yours. A real looker that one." The oily man said.

My heart skipped a beat, _'Robin!'_

He turned to me, serious again, staring deeply, almost angrily into my eyes, "You better be happy I beat the crap outta any of my boys that wanted to 'have some fun wit her,' 'cuz the marines don't accept damaged goods." When he mentioned the marines, my heart pounded in my chest. My eyes were probably as wide as saucers, _'No! He can't take Robin to the marines! Doesn't he know what's going to happen?!' _His eyes softened, turning back to his slick-and-sleazy attitude, "Think what joo want 'bout how I look, but I'm a better man than to let any guy 'round me do that to a bird like her."

He scowled, showing a good deal of teeth as we neared the end of the hallway. He kicked the next door, but it didn't open. Instead the bottom of his shoe was neatly imprinted in black oil on the elegant door. "I ain't about that life. Nothin' worse than a guy that'd do that to a woman." After he said this, his fists clenched, "And too many guys are like that." He growled, the expression on his face belying how deeply he was in thought. His face cleared, and he savagely kicked the door again, nearly tearing it off its hinges as it slammed open.

There was a commotion ahead of the greasy man and I, and I saw a couple of men in white and blue uniforms squabbling in a pristine dining hall. The man's arm slipped off of my shoulders and he stormed over to the two men. "Hey, HEY! The hell did joo think yous doin?" He roared. The men started to stammer out excuses, but the grease man didn't have any of it, "Shut it you two. Kami 'bove you guys. Just 'cuz I'm not an official marine captain don't mean I can't send your asses to Enies Lobby for some 'remedial training!' And we all know what happens to half-ass marines like you who don't leave their issues at the shore!"

My blood froze and I was rooted to the spot. Exactly how many times did Dr. Vegapunk tell me to stay away from the marines? And now here I am, barely out of Oninoiwa and now the marines have got me. Then I realized something far, far worse. The marines have Nico Robin.

The greasy captain hoisted the two marines into the air by their collars, staining their bleach-white uniforms with black oil and sweat. Their faces were brought into close-quarters with the captain, "Now tell me what kinda beef ya got wit each other, or both a yous are gonna be swimming to HQ! And I plan on dropping ya off at the Calm Belt!" He was already upset by whatever he was thinking about earlier, and now these two must have just pushed his buttons the wrong way. _'All trees have a breaking point.' _I thought, watching him hold the marines aloft with naught but a couple of fingers and some terrible breath.

The two were silent, and the one he held in his left hand scowled at him. "We all know that it's Nico Robin you've got in the brig, _Captain_. You can't hide the Demon of Ohara forever. She needs to be dealt with right away." He said. The marine started to thrash in the captain's grip, "I say we go down there and kill her now!"

"Shaddup!" The captain yelled. The man paled, but kept his challenging glare. He turned to the other man, "Bout joo? You gotta problem wit how I do things?"

The other marine shook his head as best as he could, "N-no sir. I was trying to tell Jamie here that she's not gonna do nothing because she is locked up with kairoseki cuffs. We shouldn't do anything and our superiors will take care of her."

Captain Greasy dropped his two men with a sigh, "Yous both are right. That bird in that cage ain't gonna hurt nobody 'cuz her powers are taken away. Yeah, she is dangerous, but that's why she got 'em on." said the captain. He wiped down their uniforms, only smearing the stains. "Listen to me, and listen to me good. We is all on the same boat here. Yous know just as well as I do that we gotta bring her to the nearest marine base. We can't execute a high profile bounty like her. It's past our payroll. So we just keep doing what we is doing. Keep Nico Robin in the brig, and don't do nothin' bad to her. Hell, don't even look at her, just bring her food and water regularly until we can get to somewhere to get rid of her."

He wrinkled his nose and looked at the wall, which had an map of all the marine bases of the Grand Line. After studying it for a little bit he swore quietly. He looked at me, "C'mon kid. Follow me to the main deck, I don't want joo leavin' my sight and I gotta talk to the nav."

Having no other choice, despite every fiber of my being wanting to go to the brig, I followed him.

**[l]**

* * *

The tall, imposing man that the greasy captain led me to looked as if he should really be the one in charge. He had a starched white suit and a voluminous red jacket fastened to his shoulders. Bright blue eyes stared at both of us as we approached. "Salutations Captain," he greeted, saluting. The man's voice was smooth and monotonous, like a sheet of glass. "It is very fortuitous that you have acquiesced to have my company, for our course has run awry."

The captain grunted and shot a glance back to me, making sure I was still there. "Yeah, I agree with ya that we've got a problem, but yours is probably not the same as mine." He said. There was a finely-crafted chair off to the side and the bad-smelling man that carted me around collapsed into it. He pulled a thick, expensive-looking cigar from an inner pocket and held it out for his navigator to light. Once that was done and he took a deep draft from it, he finally continued from where he left off. "The crew ain't happy 'bout me decidin' to pick up Nico Robin. Something has to be done about it 'fore I have a mutiny on my hands." He closed his eyes and slouched in the chair, rubbing (more like gliding his fingers across) his temples. "It's bad 'nuff that the boys don't respect me 'cuz I ain't a proper marine captain."

The navigator came up behind the man and began massaging his shoulders, but he got his tanned hands slapped away. "Get your greasy paws offa me, Delphino." He snapped hypocritically.

"As you see fit, sir."

He glared at the man, "Quit it with the stupid butler talk, ya ass. We've known each other for over twenty years and not once have you been actin' like you got the world's biggest stick up the ass."

Delphino smiled and pulled up a second chair, not minding the cloud of smoke the captain had puffed into his face. "Of course _sir_." He said, just to annoy him. The prim and proper man looked at me, specifically my green hair, and frowned slightly, as if the color offended him. "So, the kid's awake," Delphino said addressing the captain, "Why don't we all get properly introduced to one another?"

"As captain of this here tub, I'm goin' first. Ain't no way I'm gonna repeat my name so listen good." He said. The man peered intently into my eyes, making sure that I committed this to memory, "My name is Vini-Toni Malloni, Privateer Captain of _The Scapegoat _and former pirate. And before you ask, no, I'm not a Shichibukai." The man scowled, "My folks thought it'd be funny for my name to rhyme, but not a single person back home thought it was funny."

Delphino snickered, "I thought it was funny, and I've known you longer than anyone else alive."

"You don't count cuz you're a little asshole, Suds."

I cocked my head, "'Suds?'"

Delphino sent Vini-Toni a look that could have made the sun shiver. The captain only smiled. "Yeah. Me and Vini-Vidi-Vici here were opposites of each other back home. He was 'Vini-Toni Malloni, the Greasiest Gangster of the Soapscum Islands' and I got called 'Sudsy Delphino' because I kept this idiot out of trouble. Kami knows how much this guy's little brain got the two of us in deep shit." He sighed and brushed his immaculate suit down, looking for nonexistent dust particles, "And who was there to clean up the greasy smear? Why good ol' Suds of course. 'You can always count on Suds to clean your grease up!'" He muttered darkly.

Vini threw his already-spent cigar at Delphino, "That's nuff from joo." He added. Both men shifted in their chairs and I felt very exposed at the literal sight of light and dark staring me down.

I gave a little wave, "Uh. Hi." What? Just because I immediately liked Robin so much doesn't mean that I'm a social butterfly. That's why I hadn't said much of anything since I woke up. Anybody would be the same after waking up in a strange place. "I-I'm Andoru." I said. "I like playing and my family." If I told them that I liked to sneak around, then the men would have all the more reason to watch me closely. Then I'd never get a chance to save Robin. My fists clenched and I looked at the ground. "Now my family is dead and I have nobody. Playing around just isn't the same. I've got nothing except for a job that will never be done and the weight of the world on my shoulders."

In anger, it seems, that my problems with talking go away. At the same time, I felt proud of myself for not giving anything really important away.

Captain Vini-Toni sighed and sank into his chair as if somebody were pressing him into it. "Damn, kid. I know that feelin'. I can tell you right now that it ain't goin' anywhere fast." He pulled another cigar out and Delphino lit it, "I'm findin' that the best thing joo can do 'bout it is talk." He took a pull and blew it out slowly. "So kid, do you wanna talk about it? You can't keep it in forever, it's gonna drive ya crazy."

I shook my head, "I just want things to go back the way they were before." My muscles tensed, "And I can't have that because the only place I've ever known has burnt to the ground."

Malloni sighed again, "I feel ya kid." He looked at me, watching my body language, and then his eyes widened like he had a good idea. Malloni turned to Delphino, "Hey Suds, where's the nearest marine base?" He grinned, "I think gotta way to solve a bunch of problems in one go."

The immaculate man leaned forward, "What have you in mind?"

Malloni kicked back in the chair and crossed his arms behind his head, "I say we drop Nico Robin and the kid off at the nearest marine base. That way, the kid can find somethin' to live for and we can get the crew offa our backs." He looked at Delphino, "What say you, nav?"

My chest tightened painfully. _'No! That can't happen! I was told to stay away from the marines, not join them!'_ I looked around for a means of escape, but even with my best skills, there was no way I could sneak away from two guys looking right at me.

Delphino twitched at being called something so informal, "That's where my problem comes in, Captain. Johrin Bay is in a complete lockdown. I just got a Den-Den Mushi call before you came in that Commander Silfe got assassinated in a pirate raid. There is nobody going in, and nobody going out."

Malloni cursed. "Well, where's the next best place?"

Delphino winced, "It… Uh… It's Loguetown. And we can't go anywhere else because we don't have the supplies. We'd have to stop on the way." The man started sweating at the captain's eager look, "And if you don't remember, we don't have enough money to resupply until we can reach a base to get our wages. Since the only base is Loguetown…" He threw his hands in the air, "We have no choice."

Vini-Toni groaned and threw his cigar away, in no mood to smoke. "You gotta be kiddin' me!" said Malloni. He got up and started to pace along the room, leaving smears on the white carpeting with every step. "Of course you ain't kiddin' me. It's too bad of a joke to not be real." I let out a shuddering breath. _'Loguetown is in East Blue! I can save Robin now and get away safely!' _

Malloni's eyes darted toward me before going back to his pacing. "This means we is gonna have to go troo reverse mountain or get permission from Maryjoys." He growled, intentionally butchering the name of the world's capital. "And I know for damn sure that this tub ain't ever gonna fit up that damn mountain."

Delphino rolled his eyes, apparently expecting this response. "Yes, battleships hauling other ships behind them tend to not be able to do that." He drawled. "Would you like for me to call Mariejois and get permission to cross into East Blue?"

I was shaking, but I had to do _something_ to get rid of my excitement, or I might just explode. _'This is good, really good! I don't even have to steal a rowboat now. I only free Robin and we just sail away.' _I couldn't keep the smile off my face. _'They don't know I can sneak, this'll be easy!'_

Malloni crossed his arms grumpily. "Yeah." He ground out unconvincingly, "The ship don't have-" He looked at me then looked away. "We can't cross the Calm Belt, so we gotta get permission from those assholes to open the East Blue gate."

He grit his teeth and stomped his foot, "Dammit! I hate dealing with those stupid Goldfish!"

I looked curiously at Delphino, my grin fading to confusion, "Goldfish?"

He frowned wryly, "The Tenryūbito… I dearly hope you never have to see them for yourself. We're lucky all we have to do is ask for passage."

Delphino rudely turned away and went to a Den-Den Mushi. While he was dialing, Vini-Toni grabbed my arm, "C'mon kid. Let's find something to eat on this damned tub."

**[l]**

* * *

Vini-Toni looked very conflicted as he opened the door. His eyes kept darting about and his face shone with a mixture of sweat and oil. I felt a hand on my back and I was shoved forward into the darkened hall. "Listen, kid. I'm takin' a huge risk by lettin' joo talk wit' her for even a second, so don't be surprised when I grab you out quick. Got it?"

I nodded, not hearing a single word the gangster said. This would be the first time I saw Robin since I woke up a couple of days ago.

We reached the Red Line yesterday, and I was forced to duck in a small crawlspace the entire day with nothing but a bucket and some water. The angry (and noticeably nervous) captain had said something about unwanted stowaways and people getting the wrong ideas when I asked him about the little hidey-hole.

My neck was still killing me, but one of the members serving on the crew smiled happily once I emerged. He said something about his son, which I really couldn't pay attention to and told me I was lucky _The Scapegoat _was a crazily-fast ship. I plied the captain for the reason behind the battleship's speed, but he cut me off and told me he'd take the secret with him until the end of time.

Since Vini was going through cigars so quickly I thought I'd pass out from his mere _presence_, I had asked some of the crew what all the secrecy was about. They refused to give me a straight answer.

I was knocked from my reminiscing by the heavy wooden door shutting loudly behind me with a bang. I was alone once more. Thanks to my heritage, my eyes adjusted to the near-total darkness almost instantly, so I didn't have to spend any precious time standing there blinking like an idiot.

What met my eyes was a short hallway lined with vertical bars of cold steel, and at the end, dully gleaming bars made of a material I'd never seen before. It looked like stone, but at the same time, it looked like metal. One thing was for certain, whatever it was, every fiber of my being was screaming at me to stay away from it.

I took a step toward it, because I knew that the marines would be so mean that they would do anything to make their prisoners uncomfortable. Some chains scraped on the wooden floor and I froze. Turning to the source of the sound, I only saw a thin man with a brown shaggy beard. We stared at each other for a few seconds. His voice was ragged and unused, "You must really care about her to come down here."

He jerked his head to the end of the hallway. "She's over there." He rasped.

I bowed to him, "Thank you." I went to go when his voice stopped me.

"Kid."

I turned back, "Yes?"

"Don't let those two fool you." His eyes glinted dangerously, "That's how they got me. Vini-Toni may have been my old captain, but he sold every last one of us out so he could find safety in the marines." He turned his back to me, showing a myriad of tubes and wires protruding from it. "He is an amateur scientist and wouldn't hesitate to cut you open just because you've got pointy ears."

My hands flew to the tips of my ears. I was _proud_ of them dammit! The man in chains continued with a nod, "That's right. I dearly hope you don't have a devil fruit, because he is not a good man." He said. The man lurched forward in the cell, pressing his face against the bars. "If you have a plan, you'd better do it real soon, because I know them. Neither Vini nor Delphino will let you go on your own."

"Why?"

The man retreated, "He wants revenge. It's most likely that he's going to make you a 'marine' then keep you on this ship for the rest of your life."

"Revenge on who?"

He shook his head, dismissing me. "Go and talk to your friend. I've already said too much."

I tried several times to get the prisoner to talk again, but he was completely unresponsive.

"Andoru."

My spirit flew at just that one word. "Robin!" I said excitedly. So happy was I to hear from her, that I didn't care about the repulsive feeling of her prison cell. "You're okay!"

She was on the floor with heavy manacles clasped around her arms all the way up to her elbows. "That remains to be seen." She said with a fake smile.

As good as it was to see her again, there was a definite reason that I was down here. "Robin, listen. The marines are planning to hand you over and according to that guy over there," I gestured back, "They want to kidnap me. For what? I never want to find out."

I grinned at her and grabbed the bars, opening my mouth to tell her my plan.

Robin's eyes widened, "No no don't!"

But it was too late. Twin lances of pain shot up my arms and I collapsed to the wood floor, convulsing.

I don't know when I stopped seizing, but I saw Robin had gotten to her knees and was peering down at me with concern etched on her face. "Are you alright Andoru?"

My mouth was dry and I found myself on the cold floor. "Don't touch the bars." said Robin, "They're made of kairoseki, which will sap your powers and all of your strength if you touch it." She glanced down the hall. "I think your… Unique situation made it so that the effects are amplified."

I felt so… Empty and light-headed. So I did the first thing that came to mind that I knew for sure would make me feel better. Roots spread out of me and burrowed into the wood, connecting me to the ship. My sense of equilibrium righted itself and I dragged the roots back in. For some reason, they seemed heavier this time.

Robin gasped and I looked down. Below me was a large dip in the wood. I grinned and sent the roots back out again. Just to try again, I pulled the roots back forcefully and the concave dip grew. At the same time I felt strength flow into me. The shaky feeling and general weakness I had felt ever since I woke up was gone.

My smile could rival the sun. "Robin," I said, feeling taller and stronger than I've ever felt before, "I can get us out of here!"

**[l]**

* * *

Two days later, _The Scapegoat _was coming very close to the city of beginning and end, and my knee would not stop bouncing. It turns out that whatever made me so weak also subdued whatever energy that all other children seem to ooze. Now I was filled to the brim with energy. Wherever I went, the marines days had improved and I made sure to leave them with a fond smile.

All part of the plan. They needed to be off their guard when I busted out.

Luckily, Vini-Toni had gotten pulled away from where he was watching the door to the brig, so I had a good deal of time to hash out any details of my plan with Robin. She had me grow some tough bark into her kairoseki cuffs and break the surprisingly weak and simple iron locks so they would open with just a little bit of jostling. Surprisingly, I wasn't affected by the rare mineral unless my skin came to contact with it. Once she was freed, Robin pointed out some structural flaws in her cell, which she found after having nothing to do but study her environment for all that time. In fact, the cell she was in was rather shoddy. _The Scapegoat _was obviously not meant to be a marine ship. I used my newfound ability to absorb the wood (which I called** "Dureinsturi" **which meant **"Drain Tree,"** after Robin informed me that naming attacks makes the users more focused) so that Robin could easily kick down the bars even in a weakened state.

I had gotten excited a couple of times and made the wood explode into splinters before zooming into me. I just needed to focus, or else there would be a loud, dangerous burst of sharp needles everywhere. Luckily, they didn't hurt when they went in.

Now all we had to wait for was nightfall. I had just woken up from a long nap to ensure I didn't sleep through the night. At nightfall I would drain the doorframe around the heavy locks on my door and sneak off to the brig, dodging several night watches and the nightly crowd that forms in the dining hall to drink. Once I was all clear, I would drain near the locks on the door to the brig and spring Robin out. I had wanted to save the man with the wiring and tubing in his back, but Robin protested. The less people that escaped, she had said, the greater chance we could get away. I reluctantly had to defer to her expertise on this point.

Together, the two of us would raid _The Scapegoat _for supplies like food and water. Then like thieves in the night, which we were, the two of us would escape.

I closed my eyes and watched the setting sun. Tonight, we were escaping.

**[l]**

* * *

I ghosted toward the window overlooking the sea, and saw the splayed stars like millions of candles in the sky. Briefly I allowed myself to gaze at the sky before I smiled. _'New moon. Perfect.'_

Once more I lowered my center of gravity and made my way across the room I'd been confined to. Placing my hand on the wall next to the door, I didn't even bother trying the knob. It'd make too much noise, and noise was one thing I absolutely needed to avoid.** "Dureinsturi,"** I whispered. Roots seeped into the wood and like water, the wood around the lock flowed silently through the roots. _'Funny, every time I do that, I feel stronger.'_

I pulled on the handle and it swung noiselessly inward. I guess it was a good thing Vito was so greasy and disgusting, because the hinges always stayed well-lubricated. I looked either way before creeping into the hallway.

And I had to duck back in just as fast as a beam of light shone where I was. My teeth grit together as the marine's boots marched by, my entire weight braced against the door to keep it shut. After a couple of tense minutes, I dared venture out once more.

Rule one of sneaking: have a soft tread. Thank Kami my geta sandals were nowhere to be found when I was forcefully woken by Malloni. _'They must've fallen off when I took a dip facefirst into the sea. Tsk, that's stupid. I liked how they made me taller.'_ My soft, near imperceptible footsteps were fast and careful as I made my way to the end of the hall.

My chest clenched, and adrenaline started flowing through my veins. My grin was wide, and so were my eyes, _'I'm doing it! I'm actually doing it!'_ The exhilaration was cut by another light shining behind me, so I ducked into the nearest room.

I wrinkled my nose, _'The toilets, great.'_

Once the man passed, I padded swiftly to the ornate door with the damaged knob. The result of Vini-Toni's frustration made it so that the door would no longer close properly. I could hear the subdued merriment of the men inside, swigging sake and other beverages they smuggled from storage.

I smirked. These guys were no problem to get by, they were half-smashed already.

Staggering, stomping boots were the only warning I got before the door flung outward. I ducked to the side, behind where the door opened. My breath caught in my throat as I saw the grimy visage of Vini-Toni Malloni. He looked around, the stench of his stogies and hard liquor making me want to gag. After a couple of seconds, he took a deep quaff from the bottle in his hand and grumbled something under his breath about being ready. He wandered out in the general direction of the captain's quarters, leaning heavily against the wall.

He went rigid and swung around, glaring right at me. I shrunk backward into the crevice where I, frankly had no escape route. He stalked right to me and laid a hand on the door. Vini leaned in closely…

And promptly slammed the door shut. Rubbing his eyes, the privateer flipped back around and continued on his way. "Damn Calcicone! Lacing my cigars with that damn hallucination shit. I'm gonna kill 'im."

My breath squeaked out once he turned the corner. I had to move, now.

I all but ran to the heavy door of the brig, jumping down the entire staircase that separated the lower decks from the very bottom of the ship where the mobile prison was located. I tumbled a little bit once I hit the floor, but getting past the massive doors and into relative safety more than made up for it.

My chest heaved as the last dregs of 'flight or fight' filtered out. There was a massive crunch and three heavy-looking kairoseki bars crashed to the floor. I looked up and saw Robin, already out of her fastenings making her way over to me. She crouched slightly and placed a hand on my shoulder, "Andoru, is everything alright?"

I breathed a couple of times, then looked up at her with a goofy grin. "Yeah, I'm fine." I whispered.

There was the steady footsteps of a marine directly above us, and we both shrunk back reflexively. After he passed I said, "C'mon, we have to get out of here before the captain realizes that his cigars really weren't spiked."

**[l]**

* * *

Robin truly was a master at getting around. With her taking the reigns, we were in and out of storage with about a week's worth of provisions in about three minutes flat. With her Hana-Hana no Mi powers, not once we were stopped by the errant marine patrol.

But one time, I heard a loud snap and turned to see Robin smiling. I looked at her questioningly and she simply said, "He was the one that didn't stop ravaging me with his eyes, and the one to suggest the marines have 'fun' with me."

My eyebrow rose, "But I thought Vini-Toni took care of him?"

"Why would he do that? There are many liars on the sea, Andoru."

I hummed, then knit my brows together angrily with a frown, "I'm disgusted by my own trustfulness."

Robin smiled and just turned away to where her ship was moored to _The Scapegoat_ with several enormous ropes. I still had a scowl on my face as she swung a leg over the railing of the battleship.

Then a frightening idea popped into my head, "Robin, wait!"

She stopped, and looked at me with a bored questioning gaze. "What is it Andoru?"

"What's going to stop the marines from chasing us down? We didn't do anything to slow them down!"

Robin just smiled like I was a cute little moron who she was amused by. "And what is saying I did not sabotage the ship?"

In a way, I guess I was.

**[l]**

* * *

We were speeding away fifteen minutes later, and _The Scapegoat _was nothing but a dark shape on the water far away. Robin was sitting daintily on the railing next to the rudder, with a multitude of disembodied hands manning the ship.

I sat on the deck with this strange flat log pose Robin *ahem* 'liberated' from the other ship and the normal round log pose. For some reason, the needles on either pose were pointed in different directions. I shook the flat one, trying to get it to point the same direction as the round one, but it just swung back lazily. If it had a voice, it would be laughing at me.

As a matter of fact, someone was laughing, but it wasn't the flat log pose. I shot a dirty look at Robin who just sat there with an amused face. "This flat log pose is broken!" I complained.

A hand sprouted from my head and snatched the instrument, tossing it to where the woman was sitting. Robin held it up so I could see it, "This is not a log pose Andoru, this is what the people in the four Blue Seas call a compass. It is similar to the log pose, but the needle always points North."

I tilted my head and looked at her like she was stupid, "Really? Why would they do that?" I shook my head. "It makes more sense to know where the next island is."

Robin nodded, "That may be true for you, but you were born on the Grand Line. It is a place that defies all reason. The four other seas use the world's magnetic field orient themselves, but log poses, and eternal poses for that matter, use the magnetic field of each island to guide the needle." She looked like she was thinking about something for a moment, then tossed the 'compass' back to me. "You are going to be living on this sea for a while Andoru-kun, so you're going to be our navigator."

"But I don't kn-"

I was cut off by a massive explosion in the distance. I flinched and ducked down, looking at the source of the noise. "What was that?" I yelled.

Robin smiled knowingly, "Let's just say those awful marines on that ship won't be bothering us any more."

**[l]**

* * *

**AN: Sorry about the end of the chapter, I was kinda running out of steam after writing a solid 2-3000 words. Ngh… Now my brain hurts.**

**Also my computer broke, so the April chapter is naught but a dream. At the risk of turning into Pagaya, I'll only say sorry one more time. I apologize.**

**The-Lancer-of-the-Sun**


	5. Chapter 5: Losing to Gain

**Chapter 5: Losing to Gain**

**AN: Hi everybody, I'm back with another chapter for you all. I'm very satisfied with the direction this story is going so far, and I hope that, with your support through reviews that I might continue. Your responses to my chapters are lifting my heart and telling me that there really are people out there reading my stories.**

**Thanks, for everything. Really.**

**To answer TheSuperMario: Yes. Buggy the Clown. I'll expand on that in the Orange Town arc. Please be patient with me.**

***IMPORTANT! READ AN AT BOTTOM OF CHAPTER FOR DETAILS!***

**Nobody likes long ANs**

**The-Lancer-of-the-Sun**

"Speech"

_'Thought'_

**"Attacks! (Translations!)"**

**[l]**

* * *

Robin sighed. "Andoru, I cannot allow this if you wish to continue sleeping here." She said with her arms crossed.

This, of course was about the massive tangle of foliage I found myself suspended in the air by. "It's not like I can control it Robin!" I snapped, trying fruitlessly to free myself. The ship groaned and I flinched.

Sinking Robin's boat was the absolute last thing I wanted.

But at this point, with the persisting nightmares, lack of sleep and annoyance of waking up ensnared every morning without fail. It was really starting to make me unbelievably angry. Ever since we got away from Loguetown, my powers had been on the fritz.

"This wasn't me…" I growled, barely restraining myself from saying 'screw it' and tearing the roots away from the walls. Or the walls off of the framing. Whichever came first!

Robin's eyes hardened, undoubtedly noticing my clenched jaw and frustrated face. "Don't." She warned.

My gaze angrily snapped to hers and I was pacified at the way she looked into my eyes. I'd never this side of the normally carefree woman that I'd known for a short while. Robin was usually very open with her emotions around me, but now… there was nothing. It was like looking into the eyes of a dead man. No emotion whatsoever.

I didn't like it. Not at all.

She watched as I visibly restrained myself, but I was exhausted, and my eyes were sore, my body felt so heavy, my self-control had run thin, I jumped at every noise, and my nerves were shot. I had to keep it together though.

I slumped into the roots, suspended in the air by something not under my control. "I can't." I said, defeated by my own uselessness.

I felt Robin sit down on a low lying branch and heard her sigh. "You are letting your powers do whatever they want. A Devil Fruit user can't expect to have perfect control of their powers so soon. Learning your techniques and what you are capable of takes a long time."

She smiled at me, still with those dead eyes, challenging me to make a stupid decision. "I'm still learning what my powers can do as well. It was only recently before I met you that I discovered the ability to project my eyes and ears on surfaces.

"So don't think so low of yourself, Andoru. You are just in the beginning of learning what you can do."

I closed my eyes. What she said was true, and I couldn't help but be comforted by the fact that I wasn't alone here. _'Robin… Back at it again with that logic of yours.'_

I looked at her sheepishly, a bit of tension leaving, knowing that Robin would be here and not let me wallow in self-pity.

"Sorry for ruining your room again, Robin. I think I'm just going to hang arouaaAHHHGH!" The grip the roots had on the walls suddenly loosened and I found myself falling (and flailing) onto the floor.

But the floor didn't stop my fall and I found myself passing right through it. Luckily, I started panicking so whatever that was making me phase through the floor stopped.

My eyes were squinted shut and my hands were crossed over my face when I finally realized that my fall had been halted.

Slowly, I drew my hands away from my face and looked around. My lower half had been embedded into the floor up to my waist, and I could feel open air around my legs. "...Robin?" I questioned gently. "What's happening here!?"

I was well and truly awake now.

She peered over the branch she was still perched on with a raised eyebrow. Robin hummed curiously, her stony visage (thankfully) gone. "Well. It seems you've got yourself in quite the situation Doru-kun."

I glanced at her, fearfully pushing my hands against the floor in case I start slipping through. She had a strange expression on her face, like she was partly concerned, but quite amused at the same time.

Two feminine arms sprouted from a branch above me and pulled on my head as if to wrench me out of floor. "Ow! Hey, Robin!" I complained. "That hurts!"

She smiled innocently. "It looks like you're going to have to get out of there the same way you got in." Robin clapped her hands together happily, "See Doru? Here's a learning experience. And so soon after we talked about finding new powers too."

I grunted, having no idea about how I sunk through a _solid surface_, and even less of an idea of how to get out.

Hesitantly, I lifted my hands from the floor and grabbed onto the branch hanging above me. I pulled a couple of times to make sure it was solid, and then shook Robin's hands from my head. _'How does this work?'_

I mentally shrugged, then asked _'Um… I want to get out?'_

Nothing happened. No slipping feeling, no weightlessness. I pulled the branch a few times experimentally and then coughed uncomfortably at the feeling of my stomach stretching.

Feeling rather stupid and embarrassed and tired most of all, I bared my teeth, _'Listen, powers! You _will_ let me out of here!'_

I tugged again and remained fixed in place. In my frustration, I slammed my hands against the floor, causing it to creak dangerously. Robin cleared her throat, "Focus, Andoru." She ordered. "Remember how you used your powers for the first time."

I huffed a breath out and closed my eyes. _'Okay. Breathe. Calm. Focus.' _I told myself.

In. Out. Just like that.

And I pulled.

Like a boot stuck in the mud, my lower half slowly freed itself from the wooden floor and out of whatever room was below Robin's. After a few seconds of constant, slow, upward motion, I was able to lever my feet out of the floor.

I collapsed onto the floor, looking right at Robin above me, and started to laugh all of my frustration out. "How does this happen to me?" I asked between breaths, wanting to do nothing more than curl up and sleep.

She rested her chin on a hand and smiled. "You aren't done Andoru. There's still roots and branches strewn all over my room."

I frowned at the mess that I'd inadvertently caused and Robin headed outside.

Before she left, she poked her head around the door, "Just think of it as practicing your powers, not a chore, and it'll go faster."

She left me alone and I grumbled, placing a hand on a branch, "Yeah, you can say that because you aren't the one with a block on your powers who's cleaning all of this up."

I looked up at just how much wood was suspended by the walls and the masses of vines, roots, and branches that criss-crossed in every direction, leaving hardly any room for sunlight to come in through the small window.

'_...How did Robin manage to get out anyways?'_

[l]

"Ne, Robin. Do you know where we're going?" I yawned, slumping into that waxy blanket I'd claimed as mine next to the rudder. Almost immediately I felt my eyes slip shut, but the cursed sun beamed down on me, stealing away my drowsiness and filling me with energy.

It had taken me about an hour and a half just to reabsorb the roots and branches into myself. An hour and a half! For something that should have taken minutes! At most!

She nodded, "Yes. Our destination is Inoshishi Island. It's a peculiar island, shaped like a pig, much like the name 'Boar Island' suggests. There is heavy forestation there and little to no marine presence. This makes it a haven of sorts for criminals. The man that told me to deliver you has an ally that lives there."

"Ah."

We sat in comfortable silence, just watching the 'v' of water that trailed behind the ship. A few seagulls squawked noisily in the distance.

I fidgeted, unused to such tranquility. Sitting around and doing nothing was not my ideal activity. Toranku Island always had something to do, and Dr. Vegapunk almost never gave me the option of lazing around. It was weird, but Robin seemed to have no problem with it.

"Do you know this guy?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Robin turned to me like I said something foolish. "Yes, Andoru. Otherwise, how would I know who to deliver you to? His name is Zen, a master of disguise."

In my head, I imagined a man wearing glasses with huge fuzzy eyebrows and a large plastic nose attached to them. "Well, if he's disguised, then how do we know who he is?"

She smiled at me and ruffled my hair, much to my chagrin, "Don't worry about finding him, Doru-kun, because he'll find us."

I nodded and pulled out the flat 'compus' thing. Looking at it, I proceeded to panic. "Robin! We're going the wrong way!" I pointed to my left, "The needle says to go over there!"

Robin glanced at me then laughed softly, "Fufufu! How many times do I have to explain this to you, silly boy? That needle only points to the North unless there's a magnet near it." She indicated my arm that was still up in the air, "We are going in the right direction because we have the North to our left, which means that we're sailing to the East."

I threaded my fingers into my hair and groaned, feeling a sleep-deprived headache come on from her single sentence. "You said a lot of direction words and now my head hurts."

Robin laughed and pulled a map out of Kami knows where. "This is a map of East Blue." She said. Robin then pointed to a large island near what looked like… a mountain? "Here is Loguetown. It was visible on the horizon when we escaped from that ship, which means we have to be careful because the marines will have sent out patrols to investigate the explosion." She looked at the sun's position and frowned, "They could be here at any moment, so we have to be careful."

Her lips pursed minutely, "That explosive charge was not meant to be that bright or loud. There must have been something else in the gunpowder that the privateer had on his ship." She explained to me.

I nodded, "Yeah. The captain said that he has something secret that makes his ship faster than anything else. You're older than me, do you know what the secret is?"

Robin crossed her arms and leaned back in the lawn chair she'd set up next to my 'nest' by the rudder. "No, I don't know what this 'secret' is, but I believe he may have a Devil Fruit." She looked me in the eyes, "That is one thing that you should always keep in mind. If a person boasts of having a big secret, they could have a fruit power."

"But!" She said sharply, startling me. "Some Devil Fruit are subtle, and people don't make use of them or even let anyone know they have one until they can shift a battle in their favor. It's an uncommon tactic, because most Devil Fruit are influential enough to make a person mold their entire fighting style around them, but it can be done."

She shifted, turning to look out into the sea. "I have reason to believe that the captain of the privateer ship we were trapped on had a Devil Fruit, but I have no way of telling which one he had. There is an unknown number of Devil Fruit in the world, and it isn't uncommon to see a user powering his or her ship with their abilities.""

"Like you using your Hana-Hana hands?"

"Yes. It would not be a surprise to see that this privateer has a Devil Fruit power and is using it to make his ship faster than others." She smiled slyly, "It's a pity then that he can't use his ship any longer, don't you think Doru?"

I hummed and looked back at the 'campous' again, "Yeah." I said, distracted by the unmoving needle. The navigation device reminded me of something I wanted to ask Robin. "If we have to be careful where we go because of the explosion and the marine patrols, shouldn't we both know where we're going?"

She beckoned me to stand up (which I really didn't want to do. The deck was _really _comfortable) and showed the map to me. "See that coffee ring in the corner?" I nodded, but I don't know what a splotch of spilled liquid had to do with an apparently 'pig-shaped island.'

"If you fold the corner in and touch the paper to the inner edge of the ring, the place where the ring and corner touch is where Inoshishi Island is."

I blinked, "It isn't on the map? Why?"

Her finger moved down from the ring to a small dot of land, "Because this place right here," She tapped the spot for emphasis, "Is a Marine base. We, as wanted pirates, don't want the Marines to find us. Doesn't it make sense then to make the safe place for pirates off of the map?"

I crossed my arms, "Yes, it does make sense. But how will a big island be hidden for so long? It doesn't make sense that the Marines just wouldn't map the place out."

Robin stood up from her lawn chair and stretched. After her arms dropped to her side, she said, "I suspect that it has something to do with Zen, but we won't know until we get to the island." She looked at me from where she stood, which was pretty high up considering our height difference, "And the sooner we get there, the sooner you can find the secrets of Inoshishi Island."

I paused, slowly comprehending what she said. "Wait, the sooner _I_ can figure the secrets out?" I asked as she walked away from me, going down the stairs at the end of the upper deck where the rudder was. "You aren't staying at the island with me?"

Robin looked at me from over her shoulder, sending her hair cascading over her back, "Of course not." She murmured with a soft smile. "Once you are safely with Zen, I will leave you, and we will hopefully never cross paths again." Her smile grew pained, "Associating with me… it isn't a good thing in the eyes of the world.

"But don't worry about me, little Andoru. I still have my dream, do I not? I'm too selfish to stay with you, and it's too dangerous for me to be around you. No matter how much I-" She cut herself off with a frown and a glance at me, then turned away to continue her path.

I was left staring at her back in confusion. "...Robin?"

The only response I got was the clicking of her heels against the deck. I lamely sat back down, unable to find the power to stay on my feet. "Robin? What do you mean? You aren't like that at all. You're... you're a good person." I finished dumbly.

The only part of her still visible, the top of her head, stilled for a moment and then shook, as if denying what I said was true. The wind stilled, and I could hear her whisper to herself.

"No, Andoru… I'm not a good person… Even my existence is a crime… I hope what happened so many times before doesn't happen again. Not with you."

It felt wrong to listen in to her talking to herself, because I knew I wasn't meant for me to hear. _'What happened before? What's she talking about? It isn't wrong to exist. She's wrong.'_

My eyebrows arched angrily. _'Robin is _wrong_! Can't people see that she's a good person?'_

**[l]**

* * *

The sharp booming sound of cannonfire jolted me from my half-sleeping state after I finally managed to get something akin to rest, with the blanket completely blocking the sun's rays from hitting me. I frantically looked around for the source of the noise, and had to shove myself out of my little nest when I saw a black object moving towards me at an alarming speed.

The railing behind me exploded and my home-made nest disappeared into grey wisps of cloth. I held my arms crossed over my face to shield from the shrapnel. _'What the?!'_ Hastily, I scooted backwards behind a cluster of barrels, which while poor cover, was better than a thin railing. "OI!" I yelled, "I was almost asleep you jerks!"

"Andoru!" I heard Robin shout. I poked my head past one of the barrels and glimpsed the only other occupant of the ship on the lower deck. Her hair was all messed up and she looked slightly disheveled. "I'm here!" I yelled back. "Someone's shooting at us!"

She tossed me a telescope, which I barely caught due to another cannonball smashing one of Robin's lawn chairs nearby. "What's on the sails of the other ship?"

I fumbled with the unfamiliar instrument for a moment before extending it and looking through the small eyehole. The sight that greeted me was an enormous ship and two galleons flying the most trusted insignia on the seas. That is, if you were a civilian.

"Marines!" I yelled. "They must have chased us from that one island we were close to!"

"How many?"

"Three ships! Two are facing their cannons at us while the other one is coming right at us!"

Another cannon shot rang out, then I heard some angry yelling from the approaching ship. A couple of seconds later, there was a loud clicking noise and I heard a man's demanding voice ring across the waters that separated us. "'Devil Child' Nico Robin and 'Suchiruamu' Andoru, halt your vessel or we will be forced to destroy it!"

I peeked through the telescope, and saw that the galleons had turned and were much closer than they were previously. Robin had moved to stand next to me, and I looked at her. "What are we going to do? There's so many of them and two of us."

She smiled, but she looked a bit apprehensive, "My ship is faster and smaller than theirs. We can outsail them."

Then there was a stomping noise from the closer Marine ship and a voice growled, "Gimme that snail, _boy_." I froze, _'That voice.'_

The man cleared his throat into the den-den mushi a couple of times before speaking. "You can't escape from me! As long as ya bein' chased by me, I'll always be faster than you! You can't run, you can't hide, and you can't fight." He started laughing madly, "Give up, girl! You got no chance of comin' out on top here!"

I looked to the ship with angry eyes, "That's him, Robin-chan. That's the privateer captain, Vini-Toni Malloni." I said lowly. My hands clenched into fists and I grit my teeth. _'It's this guy's fault that Robin was in that cage. He's the one that made my powers go crazy.'_ I felt… something bubbling up in my chest. It was an ugly feeling, and it made me want to punch something. _'I had everything under control before he took me. And now I can't sleep.'_ My brows furrowed and I closed my eyes. _'It's all his fault. All his fault! ALL HIS FAULT!'_

A voice hissed inside of my head. _'Good. Feel the power I gave you. Feast on it. Release me! Make him feel just as despairing as you felt yesterday morning! Just as alone as you felt on that bed on his ship! Let go of your hold on your emotions. Let your grief pour out as you damn him to the bottomless seas!'_

My muscles stood out in high relief, and I felt pinpricks on the palms of my hands as my nails pierced the skin there. I was so… angry. It _was_ Vini's fault that all my powers were out of control. And I deserve my revenge!

"Doru?" Robin asked, sounding a bit nervous. That's when I realized the ship below me was writhing uncontrollably, the wood creaking under my power. "Control yourself!" She ordered, doing all she could to stay on her two feet.

Control. That word was such a bitter sound in my ears. It left a foul taste in my mouth. Control, control, control. _'Why can't I tear them to pieces? What's so bad with losing control?!' _I looked up and saw that the three marine ships were close together, and had drawn close enough to Robin's ship to come aboard if they wished.

Vini-Toni continued to laugh and shoved the snail into a marine's hands, who looked very unhappy to have to hold it after Vini-Toni touched it. Even with the small snail in his hand asleep and not transmitting to a loudspeaker, he was audible. "Howzit feel to lose again?" He roared victoriously, "No matter how far you go, I will find you!" He jumped up and down a few times to loosen up and said, "Okay boys, board her!"

I finally opened my eyes and saw several marines on one of the galleons with nasty grins grabbing ropes and preparing to jump aboard. I bared my teeth at them. The voice growled in my head. _'Show them the pain they caused you.'_

'_Release me!'_

The marines swung over, and I felt something break within me. Strength rushed into my body unlike anything I'd ever felt before.

"NO!" I yelled, breaking into a sprint and jumping into the air over the open waters. I flung my hands outward, and two long vines shot forth from my wrists. They reached past the ropes the marines held onto and whipped around to ensnare the cords. Doctor Vegapunk didn't originally call me 'Steel Arm' for nothing. I was physically stronger than these guys, and my grip was better than theirs.

I heaved on the vines and sent the men hanging on the ropes crashing into one another, unable to go against my forced change of their momentum. Most of them fell off into the water, but a few of them made it to Robin's ship, where disembodied arms quickly incapacitated them.

"Andoru!" Robin said, "Come back!"

But I was too far gone, and I had no way of returning back to her ship midair. I grabbed one of the discarded ropes and retracted the vines into my arms. There was only one way to go. I swung onto the marine vessel.

Robin cursed, then jumped away from another exploding cannonball as it smashed into the deck. "Doru!" She said again, "Don't go over there!"

I landed into a roll and immediately popped up to slug a marine in the chin. His head snapped back and I no time to admire my work because another man was upon me. He swung his cutlass in a diagonal slash intended to take my head off. I ducked and sunk my fist into his gut, sending him to dreamland.

A hand sprouted from my shoulder and I heard a thump from behind me. I swung around with a fist cocked to see a marine clutching his groin in pain. Looking back to Robin, I saw her with an angry look on her face.

I snarled at her and turned back to the ship full of marines. One pointed a pistol at me and I threw my hands out on instinct. The gun fired but the shot was stopped by a thick branch that sprouted from my hands. I kept my hands up and the branch kept growing, knocking the man aside and slamming into the foremast of the large galleon.

A mighty crack issued from the mast and the ship groaned. Men scrambled from the lower deck to see what the noise was about. The branch returned to my body, and I turned to face the marines. They had circled around me on all sides, and each of them leveled a weapon in my direction.

A victory cry went up from Robin's ship behind me and I gasped. When I was occupied by those marines on Vini-Toni's ship, some men had boarded Robin's ship and surprised her with some of that rock metal stuff she said took away our powers. I peered between the surrounding marines and saw Robin facedown on the deck, with blood coming from the back of her head and heavy-looking chains holding her body down.

There was a commotion behind all the men, and I saw bodies flying away from it and a particular voice shouting out angrily. "Hold yer fire! He ain't gonna do nothin' to ya! We got the bitch and he cares too much about her to fight back!" Vini-Toni finally shoved his way to the front of the marine mob and squinted down at me. "Do ya really think ya stood a chance, kid? Just give up already. She ain't worth it."

Anger boiled in my gut like a bad disease, fetid, rotten, and disgusting. _'Kill them. Take them all with a single attack.'_

The voice in my head really has a way with words.

I faced my palms towards the privateer, and slowly raised them into the air. All the while I was raising my hands, power was building inside of me, urged on by the voice. "You should have stayed on your ship, Malloni!" I growled. He laughed and folded his arms.

When my hands were fully extended in the air, the pressure built up inside was so great my jaw clenched and sweat rolled down my face. I closed my eyes and Vini must have suspected something was up because swore and jumped away from the mass of marines. The pressure from building up my Devil Fruit power inside of myself started to become physically painful, and I yelled out as loud as I could.

**"MOKUZAI-MOKUZAI SAKUSEI BAKUHATSU! (Wood-Wood Creation Explosion)"**

The results were devastating in such close quarters. Like a bomb went off inside of me, roots and spears of wood blasted out of my body, shredding anything in their path. The ship below me crumbled with the force behind the spears and I found myself suspended in the air by the wood. Just like how I woke up every morning, except thousands of times more destructive.

I looked like a pincushion with all of the wood attached to my body, but the marines around me looked far worse. Every marine foolish enough to surround me was skewered on the branches and roots. The blood was so very red, and it dripped down onto the deck like water. The voice in my head crowed triumphantly as I surveyed what I had done.

But my anger was not satisfied. Destroying some marines wasn't good enough, I had to get to the man responsible for all of this. Vini-Toni Malloni would suffer. Said man was clinging to a rope ladder on the side of the massive ship he'd arrived on, looking at me in shock.

I reabsorbed the wood the only way I knew how. **"Dureintsuri. (Drain tree)"** I said lowly. The wood slithering out of the marines' bodies and the sound of thumps and squelches on what was left of the deck was the only noise made. The ship wasn't spared from my wrath either. All of the wood my branches touched got absorbed, I spared nothing. The silence came upon me like a fog, and I realized how truly subdued the atmosphere was.

Not a sound was made. It was like my ancestors were holding their breath, waiting for me to use the power they so cherished. I grit my teeth. Thinking about my ancestors only reminded me that I was the only Ki no Hitobito left. I won't lie, it hurt.

I stood alone on what was left of the deck, my powers fully taking back all the wood expended from my attack, and almost half of the marine ship with it. The galleon shuddered dangerously, and I felt it start to sink into the depths below.

"FIRE!" Someone from one of the other ships yelled. Acting on instinct once more, I whipped a vine out and wrapped it around the top of the remaining mast of the quickly sinking ship. It was just in time too, because the spot I left got demolished under exploding cannonballs from both ships on either side of me. The poor vessel couldn't take any more punishment and cracked in half right down the middle, sinking even faster. If I didn't get off now, then I'd fall into the water.

My mind was whirring and I couldn't think of anything that could get me out of this situation. I'd sink with the ship if I couldn't get off of it. I looked to the side to see the gigantic ship Malloni had re entered aiming an entire row of cannons right at me.

I had enough time to desperately throw my hands out in front of me before the call to fire sounded. Two useless vines shot from my hands and stuck to the ship much to my chagrin. _'I want to leave!' _I shouted. I felt myself getting dragged forward and I saw the vines retreating back into my body as I swiftly flew at the hull of the second galleon.

I clenched my eyes shut for the impact, but felt nothing. Suddenly the entire world rumbled with the firing of the cannons. The shooting was slightly muffled though, as if my ears were full of water.

Warily, I opened them to see that the entire world had gone black and white. In front of me was the interior of the ship, and I saw the faces of the marines manning the cannons go slack in shock. '_Wait. What?'_ I whirled around to see what they were looking at and saw…a wood version of myself on the sinking mast? _'Did my powers make a statue of me? That's not possible.' _Behind the now completely submerged galleon's mast, there was a new row of holes adorning the only remaining galleon. _'Wait… I'M INSIDE THE SHIP?!'_

This was just like what happened this morning! Somehow, my Devil Fruit made me go straight through the wood! _'But… I didn't go all the way under and I didn't leave a wood statue behind last time. Just what is the Torio Mokuzai no Mi capable of?!'_

Jets of fire burst from the holes and I shuddered involuntarily. _'Fire.'_ I thought. My mind flashed back through the memories of a psychotic clown yelling and ordering his people to set a forest on fire. A forest that I called home.

I killed those marines just like Buggy killed my family. No remorse, only blind anger. I'm just like him, a murderer!

I started shivering, and all the great power I had felt when I got mad just disappeared. I still felt like I had a breakthrough in my powers, but I no longer felt any reason to hurt these people with them. The look on their faces only proved to me how innocent of any real confrontation they were. I was just like them once. A part of me still is. The voice in my head howled in fury. _'NO you fool! ANGER! RELEASE ME! EMBRACE MY POWER!'_

The voice in my head. It wasn't good. All it did to me was hurt other people. I don't want to listen to it anymore.

I was about to push myself out of the wood and into a lower deck of the ship when I felt compelled to turn and look at what I had caused– no, what the _demon _had caused to happen.

The jets of flame had only increased, and I saw them flare a bright white before the entire hull of the other ship exploded. My stomach turned at the sight and I shoved my head out of the side of the ship to retch out into the sea.

How many deaths have I caused today from my own lack of control?

"What have you done?!" I heard a voice ask in shocked revulsion. Turning, I saw a familiar immaculately-dressed man in front of the marines that had shot the cannons. They started jabbering out excuses but 'Sudsy' Delphino cut them off. "You don't ever fire at a target across from a friendly ship except when you're both broadsiding it _and _when it's a guarantee that you won't hit each other! Especially not when the place you're aimed at is the powder storage! Now you five have just murdered an entire ship full of loyal men!"

They again tried to make excuses for their actions, but Delphino was having none of it. "This is treason against the World Government. I know that Vini-Toni was never for any of the Marines' justice, but I believe in it! There is no atoning for what you did." He flicked his wrist and I saw a clear-looking blade on a string appear in his hand. "On the authority granted to me by the World Government, I now execute you five in the name of Justice!"

Delphino swung his weapon at the men, and all five of them went deathly still. One by one, their heads toppled from their bodies. The only man remaining in the room sighed sadly, looking at the corpses. "I never wanted this." He suddenly went rigid and grit his teeth at the sound of stomping boots. The white-dressed man spun around and faced his oiled compatriot.

"Vini!" He yelled. "We just lost some good men because of that loose cannon attitude of yours!"

The greasy gangster scowled up at the cleaner gangster. "You been takin' that Marine crap again! We ain't givin' up after we've gone so far. Yeah, we lost everything again, but we are so close to fixin' somethin' wrong in this world, that I ain't backin' down!" Malloni pointed out the cannon's port hole, "Out there we got one of the biggest threats to the world all chained up, and when we bring her to your 'justice,'" He spat the word like it was filthy, "We can finally go home n' live free of the marines messin' wit us!"

Vini-Toni grabbed Delphino's shoulders and shook him, "That's the agreement we made wit the marines! We catch a big-time criminal and we're free to go! Nico Robin is right out there! Under seastone!" He cried. "Please Sudsy! I'm beggin' you! We got to finish this so we can go home! So we can be _free _again!"

I don't know what was so important about the two men getting home, but I swear on my ancestors that I won't let these men have Robin. Quickly, I moved through the wood of the ship, the knowledge of how to move coming instinctively. After a minute or two (the ship was reeeaaly big) I found myself underneath the steering wheel. _'If they can't steer, then they can't follow us!'_ I thought. Putting my hands on the rudder, I prayed that I wouldn't absorb everything in a meter's radius before whispering **"Dureintsuri."**

The rudder groaned and flowed like water into my arms, leaving the ship completely without any ability to control direction. Just as fast as I came to the stern, I moved to the bow of the ship, which was closest to Robin's ship.

I stuck my arms out of the walls to hang over the open sea, and forced vines to shoot at Robin's ship. Just like before, I got dragged over and found myself inside the wood of Robin's ship. Simply being back over here felt so much better than being over on the other ships.

I had to move quickly, so I jumped out of the wood and tumbled face first on the deck, suddenly finding myself extremely tired.

Ignoring the fatigue, I pushed myself up and scrambled up to untie the fastening ropes for the main sail. Once the sail dropped open, I jumped down, not caring if I made noise, and heaved on the chain that had the anchor on the end of it.

In two or three pulls (thank you, Ki no Hitobito strength!) I got the anchor onto the holder and waited for the wind to start pushing us away.

I anxiously looked at Robin's downed form on the deck, but no matter how badly I wanted to go to her and make sure she was okay, I knew we had to escape first.

Biting my lips, I grew some branches and dragged the familiar dull-grey chains off of her, thankful that my wood can touch the kairoseki even if I couldn't. I couldn't sit there and do nothing for her. I'm not like that. Not like that demon.

Frantic cries rose up from the other ship, "Captain Malloni! They're escaping!" After a few seconds he started yelling again, "Captain Malloni Sir! The steering isn't responding, Sir!"

"No! That can't be true! The kid sunk into the sea, I saw it!" There was a scuffle and I saw the greasy face of the gangster above the guardrails. Upon seeing me behind the wheel of Robin's ship, his face purpled. If I were closer, I would see tears in his eyes.

He rose a fist in the air and wailed out in anguish and anger, "NICO ROBIN… SUCHIRUAMU! I WILL FOLLOW YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH!"

**[l]**

* * *

The sky was black with the moon darkened, and the seas were rolling as I sat anxiously on the bed next to the still unconscious Nico Robin. The bandage I put on her head was freshly changed, and I'd draped a blanket over her. I had no idea what to do with her, and it was all my fault she got like this.

'_If I hadn't gotten angry…'_

That voice in my head was to blame, not Vini-Toni Malloni. I think it had taken advantage of me being tired and angry, and it made me feel thoughts that weren't really mine. Was it just using me?

'_If I hadn't lost control…'_

I was being manipulated like one of those dolls on strings! It told me to "release" it over and over. Is me using my powers the cause of everything? Or is it something else?

'_If I'd never touched that kairoseki stuff…'_

My eyes widened. Is that the reason that voice could talk to me? Was my contact with that strange gray metal-stone stuff the reason I lost my ability to use my powers? I remember that touching the prison bars hurt my hands, but Robin said that they only made her weak. She said something about the Torio Mokuzai no Mi making them have a stronger effect on me.

I pulled out the letter from Dr. Vegapunk and read it over again. I always kept it on me because it was one of my only mementos from the man, and his words were valuable. He _did _create the Torio Mokuzai no Mi after all. I got up and paced while I read aloud.

"_The Torio Mokuzai no Mi is… dangerous, something not human in any capacity of the word. I believe the demon inside forced me to make you ingest the glowy-power-thing…"_

So it controlled Vegapunk too? One of the most grounded men I'd ever met, and I saw him go a bit… crazy when he was holding the glowing mass of Devil Fruit goo.

I paused, my eyebrows knit together in thought. _'Wait a minute. Vegapunk got controlled when he was making the fruit, something he said would remind him of losing the original Violette.' _I stopped pacing and sat back down on Robin's bed. _'And I was manipulated when I was tired and grumpy.'_ Images of fire raining from the sky as everything I'd ever known got burned ran across my head.

I looked at my hands and remembered what I had done with them. _'The demon. It took both of us when we were not feeling very good. Vegapunk was mourning over Violette, and I was angry because that kairoseki stole the control I have over my powers.'_

With a sigh, I got off of the bed, and lowered myself onto the mattress I'd dragged into Robin's room. The blanket I grabbed was riddled with holes and paled in comparison to that waxy grey wool blanket, but I pulled it over my head anyways. "I don't even have my own body, Robin-chan." I said to the empty walls. "I've been someone else's pawn since Toranku."

With my arms crossed over my chest, I turned to face away from the window. I yawned, actually tired for once. "I don't think that I'm going to have peace in a long time, Robin-chan." I said to the woman who could not hear what I was saying.

Eventually I got tired of staring at the ceiling through the holes in the blanket. "Good night, Robin." I murmured, turning over on my side.

**[l]**

* * *

The next morning, I woke up rested, and for the first time in along time, basked in the sunlight streaming down from the small window in the wall. I smiled, feeling all of my tiredness drain away like someone had pulled a plug out at the bottom of my skull. Today was going to be a new day, I could just feel it in my bones. I pushed the blanket from my, noticing that it was not the same one riddled with holes as last night.

Then I realized something. I whirled around, looking for any roots anchoring me in place to the ground. When I didn't find any, I jumped up and pumped a fist into the air. "YES! I finally did it! Isn't this awesome Ro-"

Wait. Robin wasn't in her bed.

Without hesitation I sent out roots to join with the floor, immediately feeling the wood add to my awareness. Anything the wood of the ship touched, I could feel. Like a giant nervous system that I could expand whenever I wanted. Vegapunk taught me what a nervous system was, and I'm glad that I could use what he taught me, and apply it to my powers. I have to start doing that more often.

When I felt pressure outside on the deck, I didn't think. I bolted out of the room, dodging around doors and jumping over the table with the sea charts, snagging the East Blue one spread out on it. Scrambling to my feet, I rushed to the door leading outside and burst through.

There, flowing through katas like a trained professional, was Nico Robin. She looked so in control of herself and confident that I couldn't help but stare in awe and slight jealousy of what I lacked. But at the same time, there was an underlying agitated air to her motions. A slight jerkiness to an arm as she strikes, an overpowered kick, the sense of her putting more strength and purpose into her motions. Slight signs, but they were there.

I, of course, had to ruin it. "Robin!" I cried, launching myself to her feet. "I'm so sorry there was a voice and I was so angry and I remembered my village being burned down and that made me angrier and I touched that seastone stuff and I couldn't control my powers and then you got hurt and I… I just…" I ran on, so sad and guilty at the same time.

I pulled myself to my knees, looking down at the deck. There was no noise except for waves crashing against the hull.

"I… I killed them. I killed an entire boat of them. When I did it, I was so happy… but it wasn't me. There is something inside of me, it whispers in my head, makes me think and feel things I never usually would." I explained. I didn't want to look at Robin because of the face she would have on for me, the blame, the pity, all of it. "It started back when I touched those bars on that ship. They made my powers really hard to control. That's why I took so long to get get outside yesterday." I grinned brightly, "You know what happened today? I didn't destroy your room again!"

Her back didn't turn and she didn't say anything, still going through her motions. My smile dropped at her lack of response.

"This thing…" I said, trying not to let my rejection show, "This… demon. It controls people, Robin. It made me dance like a puppet and I gladly went with it. So did Doctor Vegapunk on the day you came to Oninoiwa Spire to get me."

I drew my arms across my stomach protectively, "It is all my fault you got hurt Robin. I saw you on the deck, and I just let loose." My jaw clenched, and I growled, "Nobody hurts the people I care about."

All this time, Robin had been doing her exercises. She stopped when I said this, and turned to me. "It's not your fault Andoru. We all make mistakes. No matter what you might be going through, I'll always see you as the happy kid from the Grand Line. You can't let your demons rule over you, so you have to get stronger to conquer them." She gave a wry expression, "I'm training to get stronger, just as you should be.

"We both made mistakes there, and I've grown too soft." She smiled, "I need to become the coldhearted 'Devil Child' that I was once before. Before all this transporting and deal making business." She explained with a smile, as if she were talking about the weather.

Robin made a gesture behind her and I saw hundreds of disembodied limbs tangling together to make what would be a very dangerous place to stand. "To do that, I need to get back to training." The woman kneeled down to be level with my face and lifted my chin with a finger, "I need you to keep being my little navigator, because I'm going to be constantly training." She gave me a kind smile I'd never seen on her face before, "You can do that, right? I believe in you Andoru-kun."

I looked in her icy blue eyes and nodded. "You can count on me, Robin-chan." We locked eyes for a few seconds before she was apparently satisfied with what she saw. Robin then stood and promptly started up her katas again.

I stood up, and dug through my pocket for the purple box compass she gave me, already heading to the back deck and rudder. _'She's crazy if she thinks I won't be training after we were almost captured again.'_ I thought. I sat down next to the rudder with the compass in hand, and spread out the sea chart. Tracing my finger from Loguetown and looking at our direction, I nudged the wooden lever next to me with a grunt.

Looking over the ship, I couldn't help but notice that something was different. The seas were gentle, and a steady wind pushed us along to where the coffee stain marked our destination. But there was a change in the air, like something was coming. And I couldn't help but get a knot of apprehension in my gut as I pushed roots into the deck.

The peaceful calm in my life, it seems, has fled with the blowing wind. Soon, a storm would blow in.

**[l]**

* * *

It was several days later, about a week actually, that we traveled. All this time, the two of us were either training, eating, sleeping, or training some more. I got to be familiar with a new kind of 'tired' that came from using my powers without a source of wood to draw upon. It wasn't using my life force like with Tou-san, but let's just say I got to be a very heavy sleeper at night for once.

It turns out that I was navigating wrong the entire time. I had the compass, but I had no way of knowing how far we'd gone in a day. Instead of being upset, Robin only smiled at me strangely and placed the blame on herself for not teaching me the right way. I didn't like that smile she had. It didn't feel real. She'd shown me several instruments, like a scope to look at the stars, and this needle thing to tell distance.

Now on track for the first time since Robin was steering the ship, we made fast progress to Inoshishi Island. When I first saw the landmass on the horizon from the slightly higher steering deck, I had just started trying to recreate what Tou-san did.

"C'mon…" I said, staring intently at my outstretched left hand, willing the grass dagger he'd made to be created. I learned quickly to never point my hands at my own body after a mishap with a branch that nearly gutted me. It was embarrassing to explain that one to Robin.

Yet again, the tendrils of wood emerged from my skin, forming the rough shape of a knife. After thirty seconds, a pathetic mockery of what my father had masterfully crafted with his very life sat in my hand. "Another failure." I grunted to myself. Tou-san, I realized, was much more skilled than he looked. '_He had to have been, to keep us all safe for so long.'_

I reabsorbed the crude, dull, dead-looking shard of wood and looked up. Inoshishi was much closer than before, about an hour or so by my judgment. I told this to Robin, and she stared at the island with an unreadable expression.

I, for one, had mixed feelings about this all. Robin apparently trusted that this friend of 'Red Hair' Shanks was good enough of a person to leave me with, but I couldn't help but feel like I was luggage again. And this "Zen," who I don't even know, is going to be looking after me? Forgive me if I'm wary of trusting in a person I've never seen before. One thing I know for certain, is that I'm going to have to look after myself as best as I can.

"We're here, Doru-kun."

I shook myself from my ruminations and looked at her. Robin still had that fake smile on her face, like everything was okay. But after being around her for so long, I know she wasn't happy about this. Robin had told me her dream, taught me how to sail, and helped me figure out how to work my powers. And I don't think she'd do that for just anyone.

She had a bag slung over her shoulder and handed me an empty burlap backpack. "Here, take your things and put them in this. It should fit everything." Robin said with a smile.

Feeling incredibly sad, I took the bag and turned to enter the ship. Inside, I went through the room with the sea charts and past Robin's room to the storage hold, where I had put all my stuff. I really didn't have all that much, just some clothing that Vegapunk gave me, the eternal pose to Toranku, and the obsidian pieces from Oninoiwa Spire.

After collecting my things, I walked slowly down the hall. _'Will Robin be okay when I'm gone?' _I stopped at her open door, _'Will I be okay?'_ For a while, I stood there, just looking at her bed and wondering if I should just stay. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Robin with that fake smile that I so hated. "Are you ready to go Andoru?"

Hesitantly, I nodded, even though all I wanted to do was say no. She gently pushed me forward, to the outside and I gasped at what I saw.

There was no dock, or any town for that matter. Just a rocky beach with a few palm trees. Beyond that, there was a veritable wall of foliage. Densely packed jungle as far as the eye could see.

It was just like home.

The ship ground to a stop on the rocks, and I helped Robin throw the heavy anchor into the beach. Once that landed, I jumped right off of the ship sending rocks skittering about when I made impact. Robin made a more controlled descent via the ladder, but joined me on the beach nonetheless.

I looked to the jungle with a mixture of longing and apprehension. _'After so long with nothing but the blue sea, I can finally be back in the trees!'_ I glanced at Robin, _'But is it worth it?'_

"Come on." She said. "Let's go have Zen-san find us."

Robin started walking to the jungle, and I had no choice but to follow or get left behind. I don't think that she would be able to lose me that easily though. I've lived in a jungle my entire life, and I've been taught to track since before I could walk.

I bound into the forest and immediately took to the trees. It was so natural to me, and I took a deep breath of air that never seemed sweeter. Robin looked up at me with a genuine smile, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Enjoying being back on solid ground?" She asked.

I grinned, "Yeah! I grew up in a forest. This is just like home, but the trees are smaller." Of course, the trees back on Toranku used to be actual, living people, but I don't think Robin would believe me if I told her that. With quick, practiced moves, I swung down from the tree I was in and joined her on the ground. "So Robin, where are you going to go after this?"

She vaulted over a low-lying branch before answering me. "The Grand Line. My payment for delivering you to Zen-san was the location of a poneglyph, and I knew the man that had me do the job knew where one is."

I climbed up a tree again once she finished speaking, "So who was it that told you to get me anyway? All Vegapunk told me was that 'somebody' was coming to get me after Project Regrowth finished and to never become a marine." I made a face, "I don't think I want to be a marine anyway. Those guys are kinda mean." I said, thinking of what Vini-Toni did to the man with the tubes in his back. "They kinda do whatever they want, don't they?"

Robin hummed, "Not quite, Doru. There are marines who are good people." She said, full stony face bared for the world to see. "To answer your question, it was a very strong man that talked to Doctor Vegapunk. The Doctor had no other choice but to create the Torio Mokuzai no Mi, if what the man said is true." She reached a hand up and made a chain of Hana-Hana arms to help her get over a massive felled tree while I just leapt over it from the branches above.

"He gave Vegapunk-san a way out of giving the Torio Fruit to the Gorosei." Robin explained. "So really, you have him to thank for your current survival and existence."

I grew two vines from my wrists and stuck them to a branch in front of Robin, slinging myself down directly in front of her, effectively halting all forward progress. "You still didn't answer my question." I stated, swinging slightly. "I asked who it was that told you to get me, not what that person did for me and you."

Robin's eyes widened and she whipped her arms over her chest, looking over my shoulders. **"Seis Fleur… (Six Flowers)"**

**"Kuracchi! (Clutch)"**

From behind me, there was a terrible cracking noise, and the sound of a body falling to the ground. She looked at me, "Ambush!"

I detached from the vines and rolled between Robin's long legs in order to get into a defensive position behind her. There was the sound of rustling leaves and suddenly a group of pirates dropped down around us.

They looked at the man on the ground in shock, like their entire world had just ended. One of them, a man with a blue bandanna tied on his head shouted, "Captain!" When the form gave no response he turned to us, "You'll pay for that!"

The other pirates murmured their agreement and started pulling out weapons.

I cracked my knuckles, waiting for them to make a move. Just before they charged, a brightly colored blur flashed by. One second, all the men were getting ready to kill us, the next, they were on the ground clutching a various wounds.

The blur slid to a stop in front of me, revealing an old man with messy bleached-white hair. He stood up from his low crouch and chuckled. "Whoa now boys… Is that any way to greet newcomers to this here island?" The old man cracked his back and turned to me with a grin. "Howdy! I hope these boys didn't give all of ya too much trouble now." He spat in the dirt off to the side and thrust a hand out for me to shake.

The man was as thin as a string bean, barefoot, and had a heavily-stained apron on over a hot pink tropical shirt with a green flower pattern. The shirt was tucked into a pair of khaki shorts that came down below his knees. There was a heavily-tinted pair of sunglasses resting over his eyes and he had a neatly trimmed goatee on his face.

I took it hesitantly and he shook his head, his smile becoming a bit strained. "No, no, son. That's no way to shake a hand! Ye've got to be firm!" He clasped his hand firmly on mine and gave me a reassuring smile. I glanced at Robin, who still had her arms over her chest and narrowed eyes. I shrugged at her and shook the man's hand.

He winced and quickly (yet politely) let go with another lighthearted chuckle. "Keh-heh-heh! That's quite the grip ye've got there, son!" He straightened up and frowned, cocking his head to one side, only to be replaced with his million-watt smile seconds later. "Hold tight here for a second lad, so I can russle up these yung'uns real quick."

The apron-wearing eyesore took a step and disappeared into a pink, green, and beige blur.

Simultaneously, the pirates who had recovered cried out in pain and slumped to the ground, well and truly defeated. The man returned to his previous position, kicking up a small dust cloud around his feet.

He chuckled and held up a molar for me to see, ignoring the blood smears on his knuckles. "Keh-Heh, these young upstarts don't know when to quit, do they?" He tossed the tooth on the ground and wiped his hands on the apron, ruining it even further. He walked past us, 'accidentally' kicking one of the pirates as he went by. I stood there and stared at him with a confused expression on my face.

He stopped and looked at the two of us with genuine puzzlement, "What're you two doing standin there, all bump on a log like? You want to see old man Zen, dontcha? If you do, then you're going to have to follow me, because I don't think you know where town is." The old man smiled, "I can tell by that slack-jawed look on your faces that y'all are new here."

Robin slowly let her arms down, still training her eyes on the old man. She then gave me a slight nudge toward the man, "We'll follow you until we find Zen." She said.

I hiked my backpack up and stuck close to Robin as the man led the way.

"By the way," He said, looking over his shoulder, "We're having our monthly celebration today in town." He swept down to pick up some stones from the leafy forest floor and turned to walk backwards, juggling the stones. "You have to keep them pirates all happy and liquored up somehow, and having a big feast every now and then does just the trick." He said with a wink.

"You're lucky that Zen comes into town whenever a party is going on so he can restock on supplies before heading back into the forest. We always leave a parcel full of non-perishable goods by the general store for him to grab at the end of the night." He swiftly caught the stones and chucked them to the side, causing three distinct yells of pain to echo through the woods. "Keh-heh! It's a courtesy thing for an old man like him!" The old man said. He spun on his feet to keep walking.

"Sometimes he does some tricks or gives the people a carving he made to show his appreciation during the feast, so that's the time when you'd best find him."

In the distance, a streak of light arced into the air before exploding into hundreds of multicolored wisps. The old man clapped happily, "That's Zen's signal to start the feast! We'd better hurry up and get there or we'll miss it! Everyone will be there."

Like a man possessed, our crazy-haired guide rushed off into the forest, yelling joyously. "YAHOOEY! KEH-HEH-HEH! RIDE, LAWRENCE, RIDE!"

After he'd left, the sound of the forest quieted. I smiled at Robin and grabbed her hand. The physical contact seemed to jar her out of the fake facade she wore. "C'mon Robin! We're gonna be late!"

**[l]**

* * *

She was gone.

Nico Robin had left.

The old man that guided us to the village leaned on the railing of the porch on his cabin in the woods. He took a swig from the frothing mug in his hand, wiping the leftover foam from his upper lip. I was next to him, sitting on the floor and staring sightlessly at the wood-grain.

She left without saying goodbye.

After taking us to a giant fire pit with a hog the size of a dinghy roasting on it, he pulled Robin off to the side to talk. Her face was deadly serious, and I think I heard the word 'poneglyph' said by the old man. Before they got too far away, Robin got my attention and gestured to a long table loaded with so much food that the middle dipped, telling me to enjoy myself.

I, like a fool had gone and enjoyed myself. Robin had said that she would leave me, and I didn't watch her like a hawk. While I was distracted by the festivities, she'd taken the opportunity to slip away. _'She must have gotten what she wanted from delivering me.'_

Why was I so stupid? Of course she would take off right after getting the information she needed. Despite what she'd said back on her ship when we talked about dreams, I really was just a part of a bargain. She got the location of the next poneglyph that she was looking for, and Shanks, Vegapunk, and Zen got to have me away from the marines so I could be trained.

I was surprised to learn that the Pirate Lord Shanks was involved in all this, but at the same time, I wasn't. Zen was Shanks' ally, and a person he could absolutely trust.

The reality of the situation became starkly clear for me earlier in the evening when I learned who Zen was. He was the old man from the forest, of course. He commanded too much respect and authority in the village to not be. Then, he proceeded to stack eleven chairs on top of each other and started to breakdance atop them. But after the celebration, he'd mellowed out. Exponentially.

"_Sometimes he does some tricks or gives the people a carving he made to show his appreciation during the feast, so that's the time when you'd best find him." _He'd said.

He did do a trick, because he tricked me into thinking that he wasn't the real Zen, and let Robin go. _'I just wanted to say goodbye, and thank her for taking me. Maybe give her hug and tell her I'd never forget her.'_ But that would never happen now.

Now where was I now? With an old man who is going to train me?

What about the world's power struggle? The marines couldn't have me because I was safe with Zen, who is allied with Shanks. Zen, apparently, is completely and utterly invisible where anyone is concerned. The only way we were able to find out who exactly he was and where he was, was from a map personally given to Robin by 'Red Hair' Shanks himself. For such a boisterous man, he's a complete unknown in the world.

Now Robin is off to ancestors-knows-where with nothing but the word of someone she just met. She was exposed, alone, and the marines could find her. Robin would be better off here at Inoshishi. With me.

But she wasn't. And now I'm stuck here for who knows how long, under the tutelage of a crazy old guy who wears a flower shirt and a dirty apron.

Lucky me.

Zen sighed and pushed off of the railing. "Alright, son. I have to know what you can do before I start training you to be one of the best on the seas." He started ticking off fingers, "Like what are your strengths, weaknesses, previous training, education, weapon skills…" he ran out of fingers on his one hand, and looked like he had no idea to do about that predicament. "And stuff like that…" he finished awkwardly.

I tried to ignore his strangeness. "Has the new year come by recently?"

He looked amused by my request, but answered anyway. "Yes. It is the fourth month right now."

I nodded. "Okay then." I held a deep breath and let it out. "My name is Andoru. Vegapunk called me 'Suchiruamu' and 'Project Regrowth' in order to keep me a secret from anyone that went snooping. I am now eleven years old, and my birthday is on the turning of the new year." I regarded from the corners of my eyes. "That's why I asked you."

My eyes closed as I focused on who I was, a daunting task for sure. "I am the last of my people. The Ki no Hitobito." Zen's eyes lit up in satisfaction and excitement, but I didn't see it happen. "It means 'People of the Tree,' because of our history of coming from the Great Tree, Yggdrasil."

I scratched my nose, fidgety with having to tell someone about myself, "I like to sneak around, and I'm really good at it. I can slap a deer on the… er, _backside_… without it noticing I was even coming. I'm really good at stuff having to do with plants, too. I can climb really tall and thin trees, and my Kaa-chan always wanted me to help her do the gardening, because I have a 'green thumb.' Whatever that means." I looked at my hands, "I mean, the only green thing on me is my hair and my eyes. I don't think Kaa-chan knew what she was talking about."

Zen coughed gently, and I blushed. "Um, yeah. I don't really know how to fight that well. Vegapunk made me spar with a robot a lot, but that's only fighting against one person... and that robot was really dumb." There also was the marines last week, but that wasn't me fighting them. The demon had taken over.

'_The demon. I should probably mention it to Zen!'_ I thought. "I um, have three Devil Fruits, too. But Vegapunk did something to them–"

He cut me off with shifty eyes darting this way and that. "Yes, yes. I am aware of your… situation with Devil Fruit, Andoru. Shanks told me at the same time he told me of this plan of his. Three turned into one, yet retaining the powers of all three." He frowned, "Fascinating, but there's a catch, isn't there?"

I rubbed my neck, "Uh, yeah. The devil in the one from my home island is evil. It absorbed the other devils when Vegapunk combined them and it's awake. It's really manipulating, because it took my anger and made me..." I looked at the floor again, trying not to think about it. "It controlled me, even though I felt like I was in control…" I shook my head, deciding I talked enough about it.

"Well… I can only use the Mokuzai-Mokuzai powers so far because I don't know what the other fruits do. Dr. Vegapunk never actually told me what they were." I scrunched my nose. "That stupid demon probably knows what they are, though."

Zen gave me an empathetic smile, knowing that it was a touchy subject. "You don't know what you can do, eh? I can help with that." He held up a finger and disappeared into his house for a moment, returning with a rocking chair and a long stick of wood with a string tied on one end. He put the stick through his legs and placed the tied end by his right foot. With a grunt, he bent the stick and slid the other end of the string into an indentation on the end.

He stepped out of the hole he'd created and showed me the stick again. "This," he said, "Is a longbow." I looked at it with new interest. Longbow? I've never seen one before, but Jii-san told stories…

"Your people, the Ki no Hitobito, were the greatest rangers to walk this Earth. No man woman or child, could boast of the skills they possessed naturally. This is well known to anyone that knows of your people." He smirked, "Seeing as how I'm one of six people that even know that the Ki no Hitobito existed, only about six people know of your inborn skills."

Zen got into a sideways stance and grunted as he pulled the string back. His arms jerked heavily back to where the string was previously after a few seconds. After shaking his fingers in pain a couple of times, he smiled. "I was never the most physically strong man, but you would be able to pull the bowstring back with ease." Zen gave a chuckle, and handed me the weapon. "You'd probably shoot near the bullseye of that target over there if I had you put an arrow in it, too. All from instinctive knowledge." He said, indicating a red painted circle hidden in the trees.

He reached a hand out and tapped my head. "You see, it's not learned. It's all instinct. As a Ki no Hitobito, you are naturally stealthy and your eyes are better than ours, which is a big part of being a good ranger." Zen smiled. "Well, I plan on drilling the knowledge into your head, instead of you having no idea why you did something and chalking it up to luck. Believe it or not, I was the assassin on one of the greatest pirate crews to ever exist, and I ran into the very same problem. Turns out that I had a very special ability that you probably won't encounter until the New World, and I thought I was the greatest ever."

Zen chuckled and fingered a thick, ugly scar on his right wrist. "I paid for my arrogance dearly, and almost lost my arm. So I want to teach you how to properly use your talents instead of leaving it up to luck, because that'll come back around to haunt you if you aren't taught now."

I looked at the bow in my hands, and something just felt… right about it. Natural. _'Where was this all my life?'_ He took it back, smiling at the forlorn expression I had. "You're going to get your own soon. Rather, I'm going to have you make your own with your powers so that you can never be missing your most important weapon. So don't have such a sad face on."

I sat there, staring at the weapon until Zen cleared his throat. "Okay. It's getting late." He said, looking at the sky, "We should head inside."

I looked at the forest, so tempted to sleep in the leafy canopies. He turned my head with a finger and shook his head with a nervous grin. "Ah, no. The forest is teeming with pirates. I kinda make them pay rent in order to shack up on my island until it's clear for them to leave safely." He chuckled with an evil smile, "And pay... gratuitously... they do! Mwahaha!"

His evil face dropped, "Anyway, some of them are not the kind of people you want to tangle with. It's best if you stay in the cabin through the night until I deem you fit to survive out there. When that moment comes, you'll be so good at being unseen that they won't be able to find your even if I allowed them to stay for the rest of their lives." The evil face came back with a vengeance, "And if they found you, you'll be able to... eliminate them before they know they even stumbled onto you."

The grin on his face was unsettling to say the least.

He clapped his hands. "So Andoru! Let's go inside. We've got quite the future ahead of us." He laid a hand on my shoulder, "I think this is going to be the start of a great friendship! I'm going to hammer you into the ground and smile the entire time. OH BOY I'M GOING TO ENJOY THIS!" He laughed. "Just call me 'Zensei!' Keh-heh-heh-HA!"

Zen continued to laugh like a maniac as he opened a door in the cabin that led to what I assumed was his room. "Sweet dreams. You're going to need them!"

I shivered, _'Robin. Why did you leave me with this psycho? Save me!'_

'...Please?'

**[l]**

* * *

***(Edited 10/19/2016 to fix a time issue. Andoru is ELEVEN years old at this point and Robin is SIXTEEN, which still abides by the 'half plus seven' rule for canon age of Robin. At this point, the pairings are fairly open because when Luffy leaves for his adventure, Andoru will be 23 years old, which is a flexible age. My gut is telling me Doru x Robin, but I'm really not opposed to Doru x Nami. A harem is ABSOFRICKINLUTELY out of question. **

**The way I plan it, Doru will see Nami more like his sister because of their similar personalities, and Robin will be the main love interest. Of course, this is flexible, as I said before.**

**Between next chapter and this one is a Time-skip until Andoru is 18, when he meets the 'Mad Bomber', and after that... confrontation, there'll be a skip to a 23 year old Doru, and Luffy coming into the picture.) Savvy? Good. If you have any questions, review because others might have the same queries.***

**AN: This chapter took a while to write, and I apologize for that. Yes, I know that it's a bit of a cop-out to not write a 'goodbye' scene between Doru and Robin, but I couldn't see her be all mushy when she was actively trying to be all "Devil Child" and "Miss All-Sunday" like.**

**Hopefully soon, I'll be sending out another chapter of Juuichi, but I doubt life has the same plans for me.**

**Until then.**

**The-Lancer-of-the-Sun**


	6. Chapter 6: Prince of the Forest

**Chapter 6: Prince of the Forest**

**AN: Hey. So. like in my AN last chapter, I want you to know that Andoru is 18 in the beginning of this chapter, and 23 after the TS to when Luffy meets him. Just wanted you to know. Thanks!**

**Oh yeah, for clarification, "Ki no Hitobito" means "People of the Tree," by the way.**

**Please review!**

**The-Lancer-of-the-Sun**

"Speech"

_'Thought'_

**"Attacks! (Translations!)"**

**[l]**

* * *

_There was a certain serenity to a quiet night. Nothing but the stars peeking through the broad leafy canopy of leaves and the moon shining its celestial light. A warm breeze wafted through the branches of the trees, pleasantly chasing the nighttime chill away. If one were to look up, they'd see a tree so tall that it pierced the jungle canopy. Nestled in the branches of that tree was a hut, seemingly with no way of getting up there except to scale the smooth bark. This was the home of one of the most unseen people on the entire island._

_An old man by the name of Zen took him in seven years ago to live with him, and since then the strange child was only seen about once every year. But everyone knew of him, it was hard not to when there was such an air of mystery surrounding him. If one of the people living on the island said that they saw him, they would immediately get shot down and ridiculed. Nobody ever saw him. But on that one day every year, people could brag to their friends that they saw _the _Suchiruamu._

I put the pen down and blew on the pages of the parchment gently. If someone saw the book and questioned it, I would immediately dispel any rumors. No, I _don't have _a diary, this is a book that I will write my life's story on.

'_Yeah. Let's go with that.'_ I thought wryly, shutting the sturdy book with a snap. Why parchment? Well it lasts longer, for one. And I'm just classy like that. I got the idea of writing a book from Zen, actually. He told me that he wrote his own book when he was out on the sea with his shipmates. Whenever I questioned him about it, he just smiled with a twinkle in his eyes and told me that it told the story of the history that he learned on his adventure. So I thought 'why not?' and got the most durable, long-lasting book I could find the next time I went out to town.

Just because the people only saw me once a year, didn't mean that I wasn't in town more often. I always left exact change and a note detailing what I took, too.

Looking at the clock on the wall, I realized that I only had a few minutes to spare before heading out to Zen's cabin to touch base with him and hear what he wanted to tell me. I picked up the pack that was given to me on one of my birthdays, the fourteenth one I think, and looped a vine around the straps. Casually, I tossed the bag out of my window to plummet the 200 feet down from my treehouse. After counting three and a half seconds, I used my powers to stop the vine in place, then lowered it the three feet that remained. I smiled and shook my head. 'Zensei' had taught me physics the hard way, and that was by having me make some vine or rope and pushing me off the cliff that formed the 'snout' of the pig-shaped island. Just to see if I figured out how long the vine should be and how long I was airborne for.

I shuddered. It would have been much more fun if there wasn't water at the bottom of my fall. The fall was quite enjoyable, actually. As it was, me getting submerged in the water from a miscalculation sent me into a seizure, then stripped my powers away until Zen stabbed me with a wooden stake later. _'And that was when I was twelve.' _I mused. But the fall into the water was beneficial as well. I hadn't really known what Vegapunk's letter had meant when it said not to try to swim, but I damn sure know now. Like kairoseki, water sent me into uncontrollable seizing, but unlike that annoying stone of the seas, water would send me into a coma of sorts until some wood pierced my skin to revive me. I tried piercing my ears with wood, then jumping into the water once. Needless to say, it didn't work, and Zen fished me out of the blue depths to stab me with a wood dagger I'd given him just for the purpose. After that, I got the berating of a lifetime for doing something as stupid as being a Devil Fruit user that willingly jumped into the water.

There was a mirror on my wall and I fingered the lobes of my pointed ears while looking into it. Turns out Zen could almost rip my ears from my head because I had the decorative wooden studs in. A weakness that was easily exploited. Since then I hadn't worn earrings, and had removed anything on my face that he could capitalize on. Namely, I shaved my head so he couldn't grab it, and I wouldn't go without shaving my face for more than two days. Who says that people don't learn from their mistakes? Especially when the man you are sparring with knows every trick in the book and utilizes them mercilessly. Luckily my budding logia powers at that time were able to heal the flesh wound, but there were two scars behind each of my ears now.

Absently, I reached to the short dresser to my right and picked up one of the objects resting on top of it. I clenched my fist over the object in my hand lightly, and was rewarded by the sight of the stone I picked up having shattered into dust. With a grin, I dumped the dust out the window. _'I'd like to see Zen try to wrestle me now. Vegapunk called me Suchiruamu for a good reason.'_

It was truly monstrous, the strength that I wielded. The power to turn a block of marble into toothpick-sized shards with ease, all packed into my five-foot-seven frame. Generally, rangers were on the smaller side, but my heritage bestowed upon me large growth spurts and a slim build. I predict by the time I am twenty-five, I'll be around six-and-a-half feet tall. With a glance down at my legs, I shrugged, _'At least I can blend in with thin trees.'_

I breathed in the salty air of the island and blew out the lantern I used for late-night activities in the treehouse. With a smile, I leapt out of the very same window that I tossed the bag out of and into the darkness. The wind whipped at my shoulder length hair and I closed my eyes, embracing the fall for the quick route down to the earth that it was. There was always something nice about being completely unattached to the world and just letting go of everything as I plummet to the ground.

All good things, as they are, must come to an end though. I reached the ground while still in freefall and used the same power I'd used on the marine vessel that one day. I never felt the impact of my body on the world because I phased into the grass below, truly becoming one with the plants. As I felt the sensation of being split into hundreds of pieces, one for each blade of grass, I expanded my consciousness to feel everything that touched the plantlife. Nothing could match this sensory network while I was connected with the plants. I could feel everything that was in contact with the flora. Isn't it great being a logia and a Ki no Hitobito at the same time?

I emerged from the root network of the grass, grabbing my pack on the way up. With a quick roll of my shoulders, I slung the pack onto my back and started to walk the path to Zen's cabin. Well, not a path per se, more like a twisting and winding deer trail. I _would_ use the root system to make the trip hundreds of times faster, but the leather pack couldn't go with. That's why everything I wear comes from plant fibers like cotton. Anything not made from plants, I can't take.

It would be very awkward to emerge from the root system with no clothes, would it not? Thus, every cool power has its drawbacks. I can't swim or I die, and I can't use my powers to travel in the plantlife with anything not made from plants. I'm sure I'll find something devastatingly dreadful about my powers, but for now I can work around these inconveniences.

My long strides carried me through the forest shrouded in the darkness of night. My nose pricked as an offensive odor invaded my nostrils. I sent roots from my feet to connect to the plant network, and felt a mangled shape lying in the shrubbery a few yards to my left. With a sigh, I encased the man in a writhing mass of roots and angled my hand downward. The roots dragged the man down into the earth for a hasty burial. I closed my eyes and bowed my head to send a quick prayer to my ancestors for the man.

My brow furrowed and I frowned slightly, the only sign of my frustration. The current "ruler" of the island, that is, the pirate that paid the most to Zen for permission to stay on Inoshishi Island, was a cruel man. A cruel fishman, rather. They called him 'The Mad Bomber,' an accurate description as any. He certainly was crazy, and his main form of weaponry was explosives. He 'ruled' with an iron fist, not allowing any person to leave the island without paying a heavy fine, or else the Bomber's naval mines would blow their ship to kingdom come. The fines in turn would fund the Bomber's rental of the island. Sadly, Zen was a man of money, so he allowed the destructive relationship because of the money he was taking in.

It's not that Zen was a bad man, he just had a… skewed vision of the world and money. Assassination was the name of his game, and wealth dictated the rules. How a 'good pirate' like Shanks was on the same crew as Zen, I don't know. But it must have been for a good reason.

I also have never met Shanks, so all I know of him is from hearsay, which is very varied. Some tell of a red-haired demon that strikes down crews of marines and pirates alike, while others praise his name as a man's man and a true pirate. One very drunk man even said he was a womanizer, but I was disinclined to hang onto the words of a man that was already halfway through his ninth mug of rum. He died of alcohol poisoning.

So, while Zen would seem to be a normal, if eccentric old man, he was in fact quite different than one would think. He never had a knife far from reach at all times, and to him, time was money. So waste either, and you were likely to find one of those knives stuck in your chest. Then again, with Zen, mostly everything is money.

A light peeked between the trees of the jungle, appearing hazy in the humid air. If one were superstitious, they would stay far away from it, for only ghosts and spirits made lights like that in the night. I was not one of those people. Everything can be explained, and everything has a reason for it to do what it does. And the strange lights in the middle of the forest? Yeah, those were just Zen's porch lights. There was a man holding a cane standing on said porch, looking quite grumpy. I ghosted into one of the trees, masking my presence, but Zen's head swiveled to my position unerringly. It was kinda freaky how he was the only person to ever be able to spot me when I traveled through the plants or melded into them. I'm sure it was explainable, but I just haven't figured it out… yet.

He grunted and turned back to enter his dwelling, "Get out of that tree and get inside already. You're late." He said. Zen has been… difficult as of late. Like old people tended to do, he broke his hip, and was unable to participate in any of the monthly celebrations on the island. But not going to the parties was not why he'd become enormously crotchety. It was because of the fact he broke it doing something he'd done millions of times before. Which was reaching for the coffee on the top shelf and taking a bit of a spill off of the stool he had.

I was gobsmacked when I first saw him sitting on his unearthily comfy recliner, glaring daggers at the nurse that he'd called from town. Probably because he had to pay for housecare. But then again, he saw me and his eyes lit up. He'd turned to the nurse and said, "Little miss, while I appreciate your services. I have a much better and cheaper alternative to your tender care." Of course, when she turned to leave, Zen pinched her buttocks and winked at me. I'd shaken my head and called him an old letch. To which he regaled me with the firmness of her bottom and the fact that he didn't have to pay a single beri for the entirety of his recovery. Therefore, I discovered that any time you make a comeback with him, you'd better be ready to pay for it. Sometimes literally.

"Are you gonna stand there all night or are you gonna come in, you idiot!" The old man's sharp voice said. I shook my head at his grumpy attitude and entered in after him. Inside, Zen found his recliner and settled down on it, resting his cane across his knees and reaching for a mug of coffee on a side table. I waited patiently while he curbed his caffeine addiction and absently twirled a rod of wood in my hand. He finished his first mug, then his second, then his third. By Zen's fourth cup of coffee I grew some tendrils of wood and took the large coffee pot away from the side table he had next to his lounger. He growled at me but I held firm against his gaze.

Eventually he relented and leaned back in his chair with a disappointed sigh. I raised an eyebrow, and closed my eyes, feeling the wood around me respond to my call. With a flick of my wrists, I sealed off any areas where there might be eavesdroppers. The house rattled as wood rushed in to fill exposed spaces. "Sensei, you said that you wanted to talk somewhere unobtrusive and in private. I'm here. What is it that you wanted to say?" I glanced at the wall and rapped my knuckles against the center pole of the cabin. "And might I say, after all this time, your cabin still has terrible structural integrity. If I hadn't reinforced it as well as sealing it, this place might fall over in a strong wind!"

Zen scowled at me and gripped his cane, "It would have cost too much. This isn't meant to be a permanent structure. I'm only living here for now."

I nodded with an 'ah,' and a disbelieving look, "And that's why you've been living here since before I got here seven years ago? Just a temporary home?" I chuckled, "Forgive me if I don't believe you, my miserly master."

There was an intense look on Zen's face for a few moments before it faded and he looked away. "There's a reason I called you here tonight, when by all means you should be sleeping, son. And it does have to do with my money." I rolled my eyes at his typical issue and he grit his teeth in anger, "This isn't like all the other times, kid. This is bigger!" He yelled, clutching at his armrests and leaning forward. After a few seconds of silence, Zen seemed to deflate. He mumbled something that I couldn't quite hear.

"I'm sorry, what was that Zen?"

He grunted in annoyance, his wild grey hair bobbing with his head. "I said, 'the Mad Bomber is taking all of my profits.' He is murdering the pirate crews that live on the island left and right. Soon, there won't be enough to keep Inoshishi alive. I'll have to resort to my own personal coffers in order to keep these pirates in happy solitude." His bushy brows bunched together, "And if I'm forced to do that, the island won't last for a month before the marines come down on it like a swarm of angry bees. "

Zen crossed his arms, "We wouldn't want that, now would we? It takes a huge amount of money to keep the marines from finding out about this place."

I huffed and created a simple wooden chair for myself to sit on. "You're right. We wouldn't want that." This time I crossed my arms. "I assume that you want him out of the picture?"

My teacher sat back and put his cane back across his knees. "Yes, but you can't kill him. He is one of the officers in the Arlong Pirate crew. I told you how they came through here some years ago and took over an island." He said dismissively.

"Cocoyashi Island, Zen. And the Arlong Pirates came to East Blue three years ago." I supplied.

"Whatever. The thing is, we can't kill him or Arlong'll find out." Zen said. With a sigh, he gestured to himself. "I would've done the damn thing myself, but, well…" His shoulders slumped. He looked like the old man that I never really saw him as, with wrinkly skin, sunken eyes behind his sunglasses, and a frightfully thin frame. He looked nothing like the picture on his mantle, which was of a strapping young man with a chinstrap beard and a cowboy hat. "I'm old, son." He turned to the picture I was looking at and placed his fingertips on it.

I would argue with him, but I knew there was no point. There was one thing Zen was, and it was stubborn. "I may never get the chance to use my sai and pistol, my treasure, ever again. I've never had a mission fail when I had them, you know?" He took the picture from the mantle and put it in his lap.

"I'm broken down, son." He admitted. "Truthfully, I don't think I'll bounce back from this injury like I've always had. So, that's why I need you to take the Mad Bomber out." He smiled down at the picture of the younger Zen. "Frankly, you'd be doing us all a favor by getting rid of that fishman. I think he's enjoyed his stay at my island for too long, don't you think?"

I grinned. "I agree one-hundred percent with you on that one. This island exists as a sanctuary for pirates on the run, and we need to keep it that way." I stood up, reabsorbing the chair as I did so and gestured grandly at the cabin around me. "After all, this place has been my sanctuary for a long time. I can't just let that go to waste. This is the closest thing to my home that I've ever had..." I held out the palm of my hand to Zen, watching as wood writhed and elongated into the form of a long, smooth stick. I touched one tip and drew out a string from my finger, eventually touching the other end. With a tug from my powers, the wood bent into a perfect arc.

I stood there in the small cabin with a full-length longbow in my hand. I twirled it and grinned at Zen, my green eyes flashing in the dim light. "... And I have to protect it."

My mentor grunted and yawned. "Quit it with the melodrama. You have until tomorrow night to get rid of the Bomber. I can't let my business suffer any more than it already is, got it? As an incentive, I'll let you have tomorrow off if the Mad Bomber is unconscious at my feet by noon." He smacked his lips and glared at me, "Now give me my coffee back."

**[l]**

* * *

That very same night, I returned to my treehouse and got a good night of sleep. What? Just because I have a job to do doesn't mean that I'll do it sleep-deprived and with a clouded mind. Last time I'd didn't get sleep, one of my only friends almost got captured right in front of me.

'_Robin…'_

I shook my head to clear it of such thoughts. It doesn't do anything good to dwell on the past. No matter how much I want to.

I turned away from my unmade bed and looked at the purple box compass sitting on the side table. I picked it up, and felt my power inside of me start to stir. Was it anger? Or was it something else? My lips tightened and my eyebrows furrowed. Hesitantly, I set the instrument down on the table. Not even my only reminder of her, which never left my possession, would come with me here. This was bigger than me, and I couldn't let my personal issues get in the way of an entire island's survival.

I cast a glance at the rising sun and put my back against the bark of the massive kapok tree that I built my house on. I was ready to rid this island of a threat to its survival, because it was time for a dishonorable criminal to go.

There is about fifty cords worth of wood that I absorbed into my inner storage in preparation for this. Even if I got blown up into splinters hundreds of times by the Bomber's bombs, I'd still have enough wood stored up to keep regenerating with my logia abilities.

That's the thing about my Devil Fruit powers, I have to absorb and store wood and other plant material ahead of time so I could use it later. This is unlike a traditional logia that has an unlimited supply of his or her element. It had its benefits and its downsides, like the fact that if I ran out, I was pretty screwed. But on the other side of the coin, I could become a literal warehouse of produce that would never spoil and could supply an entire armada until I ran out.

At which point I would have to absorb more wood or plants, but when that happened I would be at peak fighting form once more. Growing, manipulating, and using wood. All part of my powers. This only makes me excited to know that I still had my Paramecia and Zoan powers to discover.

A lot of this could have been avoided if Vegapunk told what the other two Devil Fruit were when he first created the Torio Mokuzai no Mi. _'But maybe… he didn't tell me on purpose? He lives by the code that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. He must have been making sure that I learned on my own so that I didn't get a big head.'_ With this reassuring thought, I looked back into the sun, thanking the good doctor for keeping me humble while also giving me one of the greatest things that I've ever received.

I picked up my pen to write.

_There is a concept called 'honor among thieves,' where even the most corrupt of criminals wouldn't compromise other criminals' actions. The Mad Bomber will do so if he isn't stopped, and there's only one person who is on hand to deal with problems like him. It can't be Zen, with his mending hip and dare I say it, the frailty of his age. So there's only one person left._

_Me._

_What I will do will not be flashy, it will not be world-shaking, and it will not cause the wanton destruction of the livelihoods of many honest men and women living here on this island. What I will do is secretive and unknown, but it will help others in ways they won't notice._

The pen stopped writing, making a blot of ink pool onto the parchment. I tapped my chin a few times before shaking my head and getting up from the chair I sat in. _'Now isn't the time to write in your notebook, you idiot!'_ I berated myself.

Quickly, I sunk into the tree I called my house for so long, readying myself for the rather disorienting sensation of travelling about two miles in the matter of seconds. I can't lie, the speed of moving using the root networks of plants as a conduit made distance a nonissue. As long as there is roots connecting one place to another, then I could just bounce back and forth from place to place all day long. Of course, that was only if I didn't have to worry about the extreme vertigo that came with going so fast. Therefore, when I travel via root network, I take a more sedate pace so I don't have to be concerned about such things.

The villagers were in for a surprise today, as they get to see me again even after my day off from training was used for this year. That's the real reason that I'm never seen at all. Zen only gave me my birthday off from training in order to go into the only town in the entire island to buy something. One thing. And it had to be under one thousand beri or Zen would tan my hide.

Such a lovely old man, really.

Since hurting people other than my target was not part of the plan, my bow was unstrung so that the string wouldn't injure anyone if it snapped unexpectedly. To the outside observer, it would look like there was nothing holding the bow to me, but it was really fixed to my back by some roots gripping the grain of the wood. When I need it, the whole bow comes right off, no holes, slings, or straps needed. Just the clean and efficient power of a Devil Fruit.

I really didn't have to worry about a lack of flexibility either because I could just manipulate the wood into bending with me. If I needed it quickly, I could take it off my back with one hand and string it with the other. Ready to fire in seconds. If I couldn't get the chance to string my weapon, well, it worked pretty well as a bo staff at the same time.

I mentally sighed, and looked off in the direction of the town. It was on the coast, so I had a clear ending point for my dash. No worries about overshooting the area. That would be just plain embarrassing, and I'd have to make the walk of shame back to where I'd wanted to go. Still within the tree, I closed my eyes, making the world go dark. I felt around the edges of the root network and got a firm grasp of where I wanted to exactly end up. This was important, because if I didn't have complete focus on where I wanted to be, then I could go anywhere within the root network. It wasn't fun having to wander the island for a couple of days before getting to where I wanted to go.

I imagined myself on the other side of the island, in a little apple orchard behind the house of Hanzo, a local farmer who lived on the outskirts of the sleepy town. Specifically, I wanted to end up in the tree that branched off twice and always gave yellow apples. I smiled, and with the destination clear in my head, whispered **"Ruto-Do Dasshu! (Root Earth Dash)"** My smile quickly became strained with the sensation of moving faster than I could keep up with.

There was no time for even a single thought, because I was already there. My senses were extended, and I felt the trees and fruit around me. With a lurch, I fell out of the tree that I'd wanted to go to. For a moment, I panted heavily on the ground while the world spun wildly. I really hadn't meant to go that fast, but sometimes I get excited at being able to use one of my lesser used and cooler powers and I overdo it a bit. Not that my other powers aren't cool, but who can say that they can travel across an entire island in less than a second?

When the world stopped rudely spinning beneath me, I got up onto my feet and shook the cobwebs out of my head. _'Down, boy.'_ I chided myself. _'There's still plenty of time until noon.'_ The sun was only a quarter of the way into the sky, but I had to get rid of the Bomber quickly, because the journey all the way back to Zen's cabin was a long trip, and having such an unmanageable form on my shoulders restricted my traveling methods to _walking_. There isn't much things slower than _walking_ when you have a deadline and a very tempting prize. So I have to resign myself to _walking _if I want to get my day off.

I sighed and exited Hanzo's orchard, picking a nice ripe apple as I walked by a low-lying branch. I crunched into it, savoring the sweet taste as I stepped onto the street. There were a few dirty faces of terrified civilians in the windows of passing houses, which made me sad. Inoshishi Island is the one place in the entire world where everyone was always happy, and seeing them miserable under the rule of someone like the Bomber was a real shame. A testament to how low he brought these innocents. Even pirates had the times of their lives while they were hiding in fear of the marines on Inoshishi. They were usually unhappy to leave, but they had no money left after Zen was done with them, so they decided to cut their losses and head out back on the run.

They tried to stay oftentimes, but I was dispatched to escort them out by force. I didn't like killing some of the more violent ones, but the job of an assassin was never meant to be that people survived. It's the profession of killing for money, and I was trained by a professional assassin! That being said, I was afforded the opportunity to let people live more often than I thought. I suppose later in my career that I will have to be more ruthless, but I'm satisfied by letting the people who don't necessarily have to be killed live.

I turned to the left to head to the mayor's office, where the Mad Bomber was currently enjoying his rule. Not for long, though. I fully plan on giving the fishman the boot.

The mayor's office was just at the end of the street, painted in garish yellow tiger stripes and pockmarked full of holes. A large anchor was impaled up on the corner of the flat roof, left to dangle down to the cobblestone street. Luckily for the Bomber, the office was the only stone building in the entire town, so I couldn't just merge with a wall and pop up under him with a tranquilizer. I cracked my neck and sighed, _'Why make this easy?'_

Pointing my right palm at the lightning rod on the roof, I shot a vine which looped around the pole and tightened securely. Traveling through plants was far easier when there was no other plantlife in the area. Over such a short distance like the fifty feet between myself and the roof, it required no more concentration than a mild desire. Before I knew it, I was stepping down onto the flat stones from the lightning rod.

The reason I even came up here was because the old mayor that lived here when I was thirteen loved to stargaze. I knew for a fact that he had a hole sawed in the solid stone of the building to put in a trapdoor so he could come up and look at the sky any night he wanted. And he couldn't use the old stone slab he cut out or he'd never be able to lift up the door, so he had it made of wood. To me, it might as well have been an empty hole in the roof. This little trapdoor was no obstacle. I stepped onto the wood and dropped through as if it never existed, carefully lowering myself with a hastily-spun rope. Once I touched down on the cool stone, I wrinkled my nose in distaste. Bare feet and cold floors never went well together, but I would have to deal with it.

A quiet creaking noise coming from my left caught my attention, and I immediately clenched my fist, focusing on all the poisonous plants that I had absorbed. There was a special blend of poisons that I used to take people out without killing them. For a normal human, it would knock them out indefinitely until the right blend of chemicals were introduced to revive them. Chemicals that Yours Truly had.

For a fishman, I believe that the same cocktail would only put them down for a little bit before their natural strength would power through it. So I decided to up the dosage to a lethal level for humans and threw some hallucinogens into the mix. If the Mad Bomber woke up from his little nap, then he would experience the worst 'bad trip' of his life. Simple, really.

There was a grunt and the squealing of a mattress in distress. I whipped my bow from my back and strung it. The noises were coming from the end of the passageway where the mayor's personal chambers were located. An angry yell resounded down the hall and I heard the sound of shattering glass. "I hate that shtupid mattresh! Thesh humansh can't do anything right." The voice roared.

'_Yup. Definitely the Mad Bomber. There's no way that voice was human.' _I thought. Quickly, I sunk down onto one knee to make myself a smaller target and pulled back the string of my weapon. As the string slid back, wood tendrils burst from my arms and twisted together to make an immaculate wooden arrow. The head was made of a high-density wood harder than steel, and sharp enough to shave with. Usually my arrows would have three spiraling blades, which was a death sentence to anyone without a team of doctors on standby, but this one simply has a sharpened point lathered with my poison. There was no fletching on the arrow because of the extremely close quarters and the fact that adding any more weight to the arrow at this point would be a waste of plant matter.

A ruddy sandaled foot entered the short hall, followed by a face only a mother could love. The Mad Bomber's skin was a particular shade of rust and brown that made one cringe at the sight of it clashing with itself. He had a massive underbite, as befitted his status as an anglerfish fishman, and a small, fleshy rope-like projection with a dangling glowing ball jutted from his forehead. His eyes, or rather, his undamaged right eye, was brown. The left eye was milky white, the area around it covered in scar tissue. The fishman would be considered enormously tall if he stood up straight, but spines on his back and thick bony carapace on his back put him into a permanent hunch, which rendered him to be roughly human-sized. With all the obstacles on his back, there was no way that he could wear a shirt, so all he had on was his sandals and jean shorts that were far too short for my liking.

"Who ish the one tha-" The Bomber started to say, but got cut off by my arrow embedding itself in his chest. He cursed and pulled it out, looking at me in surprise. "Don't you know who I am little human? I'm the mosht trushted member of the Arlong Piratesh. Thish shtick won't do anything to me!" He boasted. With his two first fingers and the thumb of one hand, he tried to break the arrow. When all it did was bend, he threw it to the side and reached into his pocket. I was about to shoot his hand when the Bomber pulled out a remote detonator. He gave an approximation of a smile and held the device up, flicking a cap open to reveal a shiny red button. "You shee thish?" His lower jaw making his voice horribly guttural and unable to pronounce some sounds. "I presh thish button and thish entire town dishappearsh. I'll live through it, becaushe I'm not a human like you are. My fishman shtrength will let me live through it, like alwaysh, but you and all the people here won't shurvive."

I noticed that his legs were wobbling and I made a new arrow in case he tried anything before he went unconscious. This time, it wouldn't be just a pointed stick. This arrow will leave the palm of his hand a mangled bony mess once it's gone all the way through. I know that I would make it if he pressed that button, but there were civilians here. The fishman couldn't be bluffing, because countless numbers of pirates got blown up just because he felt like it, I have no doubt that the Bomber doesn't care about killing. He might just blow this place up just to spite me.

The Mad Bomber grunted and took a knee, still taller than I was in the hallway. He glared at me with his one good eye, "What have you done to me?" He growled while placing a hand gingerly on his stomach.

I didn't say a word to him to play my part of the soundless assassin. Truthfully, I felt like just standing from my kneeling position and making a chair to wait for this guy to drop already.

The arms and legs of the fishman were spasming uncontrollably now. The detonator slipped from his numb hand to clatter to the floor. I eased my bowstring back to a rest position, no need for it now.

The Bomber's rusty colored skin had turned an interesting pinkish-yellow, and his lips were blue. With unfocused eyes he mumbled, "I will come for you… yer… not see lasht of me…"

I watched impassively as his eyes finally shut and he slumped to the ground. With a sigh, I bent down and picked up his detonator to flip the cap back on so nothing happened. The device wasn't too big, and easy to keep hidden. Now that the situation with the Bomber was defused, I had another problem. There were bombs hidden all over the town, and possibly all over Inoshishi. I looked at the unconscious fishman on the ground and decided to search his pockets. _'He has to have a map of where his explosives are hidden, otherwise he'd never be able to let any ships out of Inoshishi Island's port.'_

Unfortunately, the anglerfish fishman's pockets were empty, so I sighed and hauled him onto my shoulders. Time to take that long _walk_. I'll come back after I've dropped him off at Zen's house.

**[l]**

* * *

The large fishman hit the floor of Zen's cabin with a thud. I rubbed my shoulders and looked at Zen with a face that said 'next?'

He grunted and pointed at the fishman, "Go out in your little ship and dump him in the falling tide. Will your poison last long enough?"

I crossed my arms, "The Bomber should be out for at least a week, then he'll be suffering from slow-acting hallucinogens for four to five days after that. Plenty of time for him to get hopelessly lost at sea to have to crawl back to where he came from at Arlong's feet."

Zen nodded, "Good." Then he gave me a smile that made all of my hopes and dreams for the rest of the day disappear like a moonshiner on the run. "Now, for the rest of the day today, you can look for the bombs that this little fishman left behind. Get a map, do trial and error, I don't care. As long as it doesn't cost me money in the long run." He clapped his hands, "Chop chop, my gullible student! There's no slacking off now!"

I sighed and picked up the rather bony fishman, muttering to myself. "Never make a bargain with a miser."

Zen laughed, "True that, Andoru. Keh-heh-ha! True that."

**[l]**

* * *

It's been five long years of minesweeping and training since then. Zen let off on the training so I could look for the bombs every morning. I just think that he used that time to sneak in another pot of coffee before I saw him every day.

I'd changed quite a bit since then. Zen deemed me 'good enough to dodge,' when I was around twenty, so I decided to look more like I wanted to and not let circumstance demand how I must appear. There needed to be some individuality besides having green hair and wearing nothing but a pair of shorts all the time. So I grew out my hair and pulled my bangs around the back of my head, letting everything else down freely. Like the hair on my head, I grew a short ducktail beard which looked, in my own opinion, rather regal. Let me say, nothing is more embarrassing than walking around with green peach fuzz on your face. Needless to say, I don't plan on shaving any time soon. Only trimming.

No longer did I go bare-chested everywhere I went, but instead I wore a white tee shirt under a long-sleeved green jacket. The jacket served as my armor, as it was made of tightly woven wood that could stop a bullet or a knife thrust, perfect for an enemy with kairoseki. I had brown steel wood, which is what I named the super dense wood I use in my arrows and unbending structures, formed into spaulders for my shoulders and inscribed with the swirled triskelion that served as a symbol of the Ki no Hitobito for generations. The same material was made into pointed bracers on both of my arms, which also bore the triskelion. The durability of the wood and sharpness of the points extending out of the elbows made for an effective offense and defense should I be forced into melee range.

Typically, archers didn't get much leg armor, sometimes they only wore pants and boots. I'm not so foolish as to run around with no protection on my legs. I had camouflage pants on made from the same material as my jacket, and a black cloth belt. These pants ended halfway down my calves, and tucked into soft black tabi with natural rubber soles for silent movement. When I was in public and walking around on hard surfaces, I generally slipped into some geta sandals. Walking on sharp rocks in nothing but glorified socks, wasn't my ideal description of a good time, so whenever I wasn't wandering the forest, training, or hunting, I would have the sandals.

I quickly learned how much more comfortable I was with clothing on, not to mention how much _warmer_ I was during the winter. It was great! I didn't have to be shivering cold all the time! If only _anyone_ had told me about how warm this stuff was. How the idea of mentioning clothing slipped past Doctor Vegapunk, Robin, and now Zen, I had no idea. I had only ever just gotten them handed to me and was told to wear them. Now I was by no means stupid, but the fact that I didn't equate clothes with warmth and comfort had me seriously questioning my intelligence.

I'd increased my power over wildlife over the years, and my contact with the town had increased to the point where I actually learned its name. Zen had never bothered To mention it, and I was always too busy celebrating my one day off on my birthday to learn anything. In fact, I refused to learn anything on my birthday. It was like someone turned a nozzle on my brain and let all of the accumulated stress just ooze out as I ate an entire tub of ice cream and lived my life to the fullest. It was nice.

The name of the one town on Inoshishi Island was Tenderloin Town. I'd wanted to facepalm when I first learned its name, but hey, I didn't name the town. If the people wanted to name the one civilized and tamed part of the pig-shaped island's wilderness after a piece of meat on a pig, then more power to them. I'll just wince, grit my teeth, and bear the auditory assault as best as I could whenever someone said the name of the town.

Do I regret ever going into town? Never. These people are some of the kindest I've ever met in my entire life. The children all sat eagerly around me as I spun wild tales of magical lands of great stone beasts, mechanical men, and beautiful black-haired blue-eyed princesses, while the mothers of the children took the opportunity for some much needed rest and recuperation time. Fathers smiled and tended to their wives, and their fathers watched in grim silence while I told the stories of suffering and anguish, veiled within the facade of grand adventures. I meet their eyes as the children beg for their own favorite story, and see the concern written on their faces. With gentle eyes, I look away and slip back into my memories to indulge them. The grandmothers always fussed that I never did get enough 'meat on them bones of his,' and never let me pass by without digging into their purses and handing me a sweet of some sort.

I smiled. Imitating Jii-san through his storytelling, Tou-san through his gentle nature, Kaa-chan through her caring and hard work, and Riki through her artistic imagination was my way of honoring them even all these years later. It seems that these were good traits that I inherited from all of them.

The sun was setting on one of my two windows, one to the East and the other facing West, casting a golden light down on my room. If I had time to make a canvas and paint my room, I would, but I was needed to escort my sensei to Tenderloin Town for a surprise party for Zen's birthday. It seemed like the entire island was buzzing with excitement over throwing such a huge celebration for Inoshishi's patron and long time protector. I was only too eager to approve of the idea when the current mayor, a large older man with a walrus mustache, approached me with the idea as a grand 'thank you' to the aging man. When I asked him why, he just laughed and said that he was there when Zen first arrived and turned the island around from a miserable backwater into a safe and successful place for people to live.

Zen was seventy years old today, which was thirteen years older than his age of fifty-seven when I'd first met him. Nobody would expect someone like him to be putting down pirate crews by the dozen when he was younger, but he had really slowed down since then. Most of my training was self-taught at this point, with occasional input shouted from the sidelines where Zen sat in a comfy chair and a gallon of decaf. He was so very miserable when I brought the doctor in and he was told to limit himself to three cups of caffeinated coffee a day, and so much more miserable when I refused to get him more than small rations of the beans he so desired. So we came to a compromise, he drinks decaf and has as much as he wants, and I get more time off. He'd have to get his toes cut off or something before he would ever give up the good stuff though.

I placed my hands on the floor of my treehouse and said, **"Ruto Do Dasshu!"**

In a blur of movement, I could feel my location shift on the root network to the house of my miserly master. I popped from the ground and I saw Zen grimace, guarding his precious ceramic mug and backing away from the railing he'd been leaning up against to watch the sunset. "Aw hell!" He said, quickly draining his cup. When he'd finished chugging his coffee, he wiped his upper lip and grinned at me, "See! You can't take it away now, you little green coffee thief! It's gone and it's never coming back."

I laughed and smiled, "No, sensei. This is something different. The mayor wanted to see you to talk about using some of your money to expand the town, maybe build another village. A brand new, big one with the expensive materials, maybe attract some more high-paying pirates to our shores."

My old teacher's eyes nearly bugged out from their sockets, his initial speculation erased by the potential of losing a good deal of his nest egg. "WHAT?! Does he know how much that would cost?! Doing something as stupid as that would kill all of my profits in a matter of months! That would never be an economic plan, and he just wants to use MY money like that! No, sir!" He glared at me. "You're coming with me to town. I need to fix this personally, and I need my force of nature on my side to… persuade that fool from doing anything stupid!"

I nodded solemnly and gestured to the path I'd more properly made through the forest after getting sick of taking deer trails for years. "Lead the way, sensei. This can decide the fate of the island."

"Yer damn right, son!"

When his back was turned, I let my serious look drop and felt a big smile grow. '_Step one completed.' _It was almost too easy to get my crotchety master to leave the house.

**[l]**

* * *

The trip to Tenderloin Town took a good while, but it was very enjoyable for me to listen to Zen griping and complaining the entire way. The sun had set and the night had fallen on the sleepy island.

The town looked far more prosperous than when I took out the Mad Bomber, with clean and new looking buildings adorning the streets. I smiled at the reminder of all my hard work going into good things for these people. Helping around the island was the least that I could do. Even the pirates were some nice guys. I could easily spot the ones I could get along with hanging around the village, doing a poor job of hiding for the big reveal. Heck, some of them even waved to me as Zen and I passed by.

Obviously, the villagers had broken out the alcohol too early, but that only means we were going to run out sooner, which is a good thing when all we have left to drink is water. Alcohol without water is a bad morning combination, and I didn't even drink despite being on an island teeming with drunkards and vagabonds. I suppose being exposed to the ugly side of alcohol early in life was a good thing, because I would probably have been lured into the temptation of having a good time at the cost of not remembering it the next day.

I'm not sorry. I simply value my brain cells too much. Besides, who knows what'll happen if I get drunk and the demon takes over? That's one thing I don't want, and I refuse to give any leeway with it. Not after losing control once. Once was far too much, the cost too high.

Zen approached the stone house that served as the mayor's office and hammered his fist against the door. "Open up, you fat idiot! If you think for one second that I'm letting you take my money then you're WRONG!"

The door opened, and the mayor appeared in the doorway. He folded his arms and gave a unimpressed look at Zen. I've got to give the man's acting skills some props, he didn't know the plan beforehand, only that I was in charge of bringing the guest of honor. The mayor grunted and stroked his enormous mustache, "Well Zen, I've got one thing to say to you…"

He crouched in real close to my master and smiled. "Happy birthday old man."

And with that, the entire town which seemed deserted a second ago burst into life with a roar of joy and agreement. The cacophony of hundreds of voices cheering for my master was music to my pointed ears. Zen swung up on me and jabbed a finger into my chest, "You planned this." He accused.

I laughed at the way he said it, like the entire thing was all a nefarious plot to steal his prized cow at a fair. I slung an arm around his shoulders, "This is all for you Zensei! This is all because we appreciate you and want to thank you for all you do for us." I pushed him toward the buffet table, which already had a line of pirates impatiently waiting for Zen to get first dibs at the food. "Go on. This would never be possible without you." I smiled, "Think of it this way. This party is just return on investment."

He grinned at me, "A pretty crappy return on investment, Andoru. You could have made that cake at least four more layers tall."

"That's the spirit!" I said, happy that he was getting into it. He turned to leave, and I thought there was a bit of moisture in his eyes, but it could have been a trick of the light.

And I was left standing next to the mayor, who clapped a hand on my shoulder, but winced and rubbed it when he came into contact with the steel-hard wooden armor. "Fine job you did getting Zen here, Andoru. He had no idea, I could see it in his eyes." He laughed, making his mustache bob. "Come along with me to the beach. There's something I need your help with."

I nodded and we set off to the nearby beach, which was perfect white and shone in the moonlight like crystals, and the waters were blue as they come. I whistled, "What a great night you picked for this, mayor. I haven't seen it like this ever before."

The portly man nodded proudly, "Since you couldn't go out into the water and get rid of the bombs, we had to do it ourselves, and we discovered a good deal of trash in the sands of the beach and in the water. We had a good team of divers." He rubbed his neck nervously, "But I don't think we got all of the–"

He was cut off by an explosion off shore a few hundred feet away. We both covered our eyes, and peeked out once the water had settled. There was a wailing noise coming from above us and I could only watch as a form cascaded from the sky and smacked into the sands with a flop unlike that of a pancake. A second, much smaller form slammed into the first and _bounced_ off it like a trampoline on steroids. I smacked my forehead with a sigh while the mayor started sweating heavily. Things like that actually weren't that uncommon.

With a toe, I turned the first one over onto its back. When the hat resting on its head touched the sand, my foot got smacked away by a hand and I lifted an eyebrow. The teenager swiftly got up and brushed off his straw hat with a red band around it. "Hey, you got my hat all sandy!" He complained.

"Ah. My apologies."

The stranger nodded furiously, "Accepted!" He began to start looking around his impact site. "You seen Koby around? Short, glasses, pink hair, really annoying, kinda wimpy?" He asked. I was about to say something when the teenager made a noise of exclamation and reached his arm back. What he did next, I did not expect, because that arm of his _stretched_ across the beach to pick up his fallen friend and snapped back holding a short kid with pink hair, glasses, and an ameteur attempt at a Marine uniform's white shirt and blue pants combination.

I looked at the mayor, only to find him backing away. "I'll, ah, let you handle this one Andoru. I have to attend to the party. Bye!" And he was gone.

I turned to the two, who were now bickering about food. Mainly, Koby was trying and failing to convince the other not to go into the town because he smelled food and _had_ to find it. "I assume you two know each other?" I asked wryly.

The one with a straw hat grinned from ear to ear. It seemed like a very fitting expression, and I had a feeling I'd be seeing it a lot more. He had on a red vest with three yellow buttons, blue jeans cut off at the knees, and rather messy hair. There was a short scar just below his left eye, which I bet had an interesting story, like most scars do. Heck, I had a story on my face, and a case of poor judgment behind my ears, if he wanted to talk scars, then I was game. He opened his mouth, but the pink one tried to put his hands over it. He whined in annoyance and shoved the kid into the sand, then smiled at me like a loon. "Hi! I'm Monkey D. Luffy. Can I have some food?"

'_Where have I heard that name before?'_

I snorted and looked to the town, where there indeed was a good smell coming from the numerous pits they had set up. With a quick glance at the teen's eager face and genuinely carefree expression and Koby's worried posture, I decided to throw caution out the window. _'It's Zen's party for goodness sake. If this ends badly I can just throw them out later.'_ I turned and beckoned for them to follow, only for Luffy to rush past me, bodily dragging Koby with him towards the wonderful smells. "Suit yourselves then." Since the mayor wasn't around to tell me what to do at the beach, I decided to follow the two back into town.

The sight that greeted me was one of celebration, just like how I hoped this would go. Someone had gotten out a violin and I saw the civilians dancing one of their traditional barn dances, which some pirates looked interested in. The food and drink flowed like water, and there wasn't an unsatisfied person seen. The best part though, was watching Zen sit on top of the mayor's office in a long sofa we'd dragged up there to watch the festivities. He was laughing and clapping, and looked more happy than I'd ever seen him before. This was nothing like his crazed, almost manic attitude at the monthly pig roast. The joy of life filled his old bones, and I was glad for him, truly.

I threw a vine up to where he was seated and found myself on the roof. I collapsed into the sofa next to him and sighed in contentment. "Now this is a place I can fall asleep in seconds." I remarked.

He turned to me and rose an eyebrow, "Now where have you been all this time? I'd though you be over by the ice cream bar."

I jumped up and looked looked around wildly, "They have one? Where is it?!"

Zen laughed and pulled me down. "Yeah, there is, but you're gonna have to find it yourself. Now, tell me where you were, son." His voice was curious, as if I were intentionally ditching him.

I shook my head, "It's not like that. The mayor wanted my help with something. I still have no idea what it is, because one of the leftover naval mines went off when some new pirates came ashore and destroyed their ship."

Zen groaned and held a palm to his face, "Did you take care of them?"

"Yeah, they were just a couple of teens, not capable of doing too much damage, but I know one of them has a Devil Fruit." I said. My mentor gave me an inquisitive look and I answered his silent question. "He stretched, and didn't get injured by his fall. His friend bounced off of him as well, so I would guess something to do with an elastic material. Maybe rubber."

Zen grunted and cast his gaze over the party going on down below. "I'm going down to greet this newcomer. I need to know if he's going to cost me anything in property damage. Devil Fruit powers are dangerous," He said, giving me a sidelong glance, "as you well know."

We both struggled for a moment to get out of the extraordinarily plush sofa, then jumped down off of the roof to the street below. Zen landed a bit awkwardly and stumbled with a curse. "You alright old man?"

"Ha! I'm fine. There's still many years in these old bones yet. Just… less than I would like." He said. We walked side by side, my six-foot-five frame towering over his five-foot-six and shrinking self. As we made our way through town, I asked many people if they had seen a black-haired teen with a red vest on with a pink-haired kid tagging along, and they all pointed to a different buffet table. Whenever we reached one, Zen and I exchanged worried glances over the fact that all that was left on the tables were crumbs. I made sure that there would be more than enough food for every person on Inoshishi island, and then some. If these two teens were clearing out table after table… man, where the heck did they manage to put the stuff?

Eventually, we found him. Monkey D. Luffy was the easiest to spot, but damn, I had a hard time recognizing him. His entire body had swollen to the size of a boulder with arms and legs sticking out the sides. How his shorts hadn't exploded with all the force straining that one button, I had no idea. The human boulder stretched his hand out and snagged a piece of meat and shoved it down his throat after chewing it a grand total of two times. And that was the last of the food on the table. Luffy noticed this as well and placed his feet under himself. _'He isn't going to stand, is he?'_ With a grunt, he stood up, carrying his bulbous form with him. Whenever he took a step, his body jiggled, and I didn't want him to move too fast or he would never be stopped.

I stepped in front of him, waving my hands in front of his face to get his attention. "Luffy! Luffy, Luffy! Stop! You're going to hurt yourself!"

He cocked his head, "I am?" The teen looked around himself and patted his stomach idly. "I wonder if there's any more of that ham." Luffy turned away to find another and I intercepted him again.

I looked to Zen desperately. "We've got to stop him. He's going to explode!" I said, but Zen wasn't paying any attention to me, because Luffy had turned and exposed the hat hanging on his back from a string.

"That hat… You're Luffy, aren't you?"

Luffy immediately turned, focused on the person that mentioned his name. He smiled like the sun and held his straw hat in front of him, "You know this? Shanks gave it to me!"

Zen smiled, "Do you have a ship, Monkey D. Luffy?"

He frowned, thinking hard. "No…" Then his eyes lit up, "Mine got blown up! I'm gonna get a new one from this island and it's gonna be HUGE!" Luffy exclaimed, drawing the attention of several hungry pirates who groaned at seeing the empty table.

Koby suddenly gasped. "Oh no!" He turned to Luffy, "There's no way we can get to Roronoa Zoro now. It's impossible with nothing to get there in!"

"I can give you a ship, Luffy." My mentor said, completely ignoring Koby. "It's only fair to repay Shanks for what he did for me."

"You know Shanks, Ossan?"

Zen barked out a laugh, "Know him? You could say that. The little brat was on the same crew as myself back in the day." He looked at the place where his arm was almost cut off, "I was hired to assassinate the captain back when I was freelancing. I boarded his ship in secret and would have killed him if his cabin boys weren't there keeping him awake all night with their arguments." Zen got this faraway look in his face, "What a shame if I would have killed him. Nothing would be the same." He reached out and fingered The brim of Luffy's hat, "Shanks saw me and almost cut my hand off with that cutlass of his, and it was the captain that intervened and sat us all down to talk." He laughed, "By 'talk,' I mean that he imposed his will on me. Let's just say I was very convinced that his power was more than I could ever hope to grasp at. I found someone that had the power of will like me, and his best utterly conquered my all I could arm up."

There was a strange way that he was talking, like there was a code he spoke that nobody would understand, and I frowned. Zen wouldn't talk like that unless he had a reason.

"But that's beside the point. You need a ship Luffy? I've got one, but it needs a crew. It will take you to wherever you need to go."

"I'm gonna get a crew! Roronoa Zoro is my first Nakama, and then I'm going to find a musician!" Luffy said with conviction. _'This guy has no idea how to take care of himself. Hiring a bounty hunter known for his deadly sword skills and lesser known lack of navigation. Then wanting to get a musician next? How is this guy serious?'_

I pulled Zen off to the side and whispered in his ear after excusing ourselves from Luffy and Koby, who were shamelessly listening in. "Sensei, this guy has no idea how to live on the seas, and you just want to give him a ship? A ship, mind you, that you don't even have?" Zen has to be joking.

Zen locked eyes with me. "Son, I'm dead serious. He'll be getting a ship because you'll be giving him yours."

I blanched, "_The Dragon_, Zen? He'll kill himself and Koby along with him, and Luffy will never get anywhere. It's operated by my powers. There's no way that he could make it work."

Zen shrugged, "Then go with them. If you haven't noticed, I never said that you have to stay. If you think that Monkey D. Luffy, future Pirate King, will be stopped by just a lack of a ship, then you've seriously misjudged the power of will that he has." He narrowed his eyes at me, "Besides, you still have to stop the Gorosei from unleashing that demon on your home island. There is no way that you can do that from the East Blue. You have to march right up to them all and face them yourself, and without anyone standing by your side, you're as good as dead."

I jabbed my thumb into my chest with grit teeth, "The demon is inside of me, master. That's the baggage I got with the Torio Mokuzai no Mi. Sure, I got powers that I should have already had if not for the 'Great Sacrifice,' and two other Devil Fruit powers entirely, but the cost of it all was to have a raging monster in my head that influences me when I get angry! It's safer for me here!"

Zen snorted, "You're hiding." He stated, "From everything. The Marines, the sea, your own fears, yourself. You don't want to unlock your powers because you think you'll the world will want to control you. News flash, Andoru, it already wants your power, and the Gorosei won't stop at anything to have their weapon back. You need to get stronger and get over this 'I'm not good enough and don't deserve it' shit. You are strong enough and there is no one that deserves your powers more than you, that's why Kami gave 'em to you! I thought I was good enough to not get any stronger and got my ass handed to me by some punk kid I was trying to kill."

Then he went in for the kill, "Besides, you still want to see _her_."

I grit my teeth and glared at Zen, "No. I don't. You've been right about a lot of things in my life, but that isn't one of them."

"Then how come you always carry that compass, huh? Your last reminder of her. And don't think I notice when you stare out into the sunset like you were expecting a ship to come sailing in. You are always so happy, always hoping it'll be her, but I know that she's moved on to the Grand Line, where frankly, you should have been for years now."

"Then why didn't you let me go?!"

"I've never held you back, Andoru. From anything. You have been ready for a long time to leave this island and travel to the Line where you'd find a good crew to join and face the Gorosei one day. You could have left the day you came here. Could've ran after Robin, I'd have never stopped you."

I clenched my fists and turned away. I couldn't believe what Zen was saying. All this time, when I was cursing Zen for holding me here and myself for never having the spirit to just leave. I could have gone. That's why I made my ship, _The Dragon_ when I was twenty-two. I was feeling in the right, and almost left the island, but I looked back to the shores and something deep in my gut stopped me.

Zen put a hand on my shoulder. "If I know Luffy's dad, his Grandfather, and the people he was raised around, then there's no better person for you go with." I turned to him and held a silver pendant out for me to take. It was completely silver, with the exception of beautiful emeralds set into the metal in the form of the kanji 'Mokuzai.' "This is for you. I made it to give to you when you finally left. And from that look in your eyes, now it seems, is the right time. Consider this my parting gift to you." He smirked, "And a 'get-the-hell-off-my-island-before-I-start-charging-you-rent' warning. It won't be pretty if you stay, son. I can tell you that for sure."

I closed my eyes and took the amulet from Zen's hands, "You've done so much for me, Zensei. How can I ever repay you?"

He smiled, "With interest. Keh-heh-ha!" He laughed. Then his smile sobered, "But really, you've done so much more for me than I've done for you, kid. I should be the one paying you, but any made up debts you might think you owe me have been settled today with this party." He spread his hands out wide, "This, is the single greatest day of my life. Seeing my dream of owning an island where everyone can coexist and be safe from the oppression of the Marines? No day can ever come close to this. I want you to make your dream come true as well. You are miserable here, and the sea is where you belong."

He laughed, "Now go already! I've wasted enough time talking to you like this!"

Luffy laughed loudly and Koby smiled. A rubbery arm grabbed me and pulled me to a now normal-sized Monkey D. Luffy. "Come on then! We have to go find Zoro, then I'll have two Nakama!"

**[l]**

* * *

I watched the pig shape of Inoshishi Island disappear into the horizon, framed by the rising sun. I had taken _The Dragon_, a thirty foot long yacht ideal for two people, from the dock and sailed it around to the beach where Luffy's little dinghy first exploded. _The Dragon_ was made of a rich, dark colored wood designed into a scale pattern to make it look good and cut through the waves nicely. A massively tall mast sat in the middle to catch even the slightest of breezes and send _The Dragon_ flying across the seas like the mythical beast it was named after. Most would think that my ship being a yacht would be used only for luxury, but most people would be wrong. _The Dragon_ was capable of sailing in all depths, and I was yet to find a ship that could outsail her. Ships like mine were originally meant to chase and pursue other ships before the term 'yacht' got twisted into a ship of recreation.

_The Dragon _was a fine ship, and it was perfect for the East Blue sea. The Grand Line, however, not so much. She was too light to handle the rapid changes in weather and crazy waves that was the norm of the crazy sea.

"Hey green guy!" Luffy called. I glanced down from the steering wheel at the teen. He smiled, "What's your dream? All pirates have to have one, otherwise they aren't pirates at all!"

I gave a soft smile into the wind that seemed to caress my cheek. "First of all, My name is Andoru. And my dream is peace, Luffy. I want to be able to settle down once I've finished with this all and not worry about evil demons trying to get back their power or the Marines trying to find me and bring me to their leaders. Maybe go back home and make it into the beautiful place that it once was, not what it is now." I looked at him, "What about you?"

He gave a million gigawatt grin, like he was waiting for me to ask this question. "I'm going to be the Pirate King!" He declared. The surety of this simple statement made me nod, having no doubt that he could do it. With good people by his side, he could go anywhere.

"What about you Koby? There's no way you'd still be with this goofball if you didn't have a goal of some sort."

The teen seemed astonished that he was actually being talked to and rubbed the back of his neck. "Um. I'm going to be a marine and catch all the evil pirates!"

"Hmph! There are much more nobler professions than that, but to each his own I suppose."

"Yeah!" Luffy said, not understanding what I said at all. "What he said!"

I sighed and decided to change the subject before the poor boy got all of his hopes and dreams. "Since I'm coming with you as one of your Nakama, Luffy, should I start calling you 'Captain'?"

He nodded with finality, "Yes! The Pirate King should be respected by his Nakama! Like right now when I'm hungry, and be respected by being given food!"

"I'm not going to do that. I'll just call you whatever, I'm sure you don't care as long as you're fed, right?"

"Yes!"

I nodded, expecting as much. "So where are we off to, Captain?"

Luffy jumped up onto the figurehead of a roaring dragon with outstretched claws and pointed off into the distance. "To Roronoa Zoro! And food!"

I looked at Koby, "Any idea where that is?"

He nodded and pointed in the opposite direction Luffy was pointing in. "Shells Town is that way." He said while looking at a small compass that he'd brought with him from wherever he came from.

I looked at my only reminder of Robin and turned the wheel accordingly, unfurling the main sail with my powers. "Due North-Northwest, to one Shells Town! With a strong wind, we'll be there in no time!"

Luffy laughed and held onto his hat, "This is gonna be so COOL!"

I touched the silver pendant resting just below my sternum, and looked deeply into the violet wood of the compass. _'I'm coming. I'll never forget any of you. Vegapunk, Violette, Robin, Zen, Tou-san, Jii-san, Kaa-chan, Riki.'_ Holding onto the silver disk, I tucked the jewelry into my jacket where it was the closest to my heart. I never let go of the compass, looking deeply at it and not seeing a thing.

**[l]**

**Where one dream ends, another adventure begins.**

**[l]**

* * *

**An: I really love this story, and it makes me kinda sad that I have to go back to Juuichi even though I said I'd switch between stories and not deviate from that pattern. Until next time!**

**The-Lancer-of-the-Sun**


	7. Chapter 7: The Adventure of Shells Town

**Chapter 7: The Adventure(?) of Shells Town**

**AN: I'm happy for the love that's been thrown to my stories, so please review and keep it comin!**

**One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda and the original characters are mine.**

"Speech."

'_Thought'_

**"Attacks (translations)"**

**[l]**

* * *

Sailing with Luffy was an interesting affair. To describe it simply, he was a bottomless pit. I've been farming and gathering edible plants for storage since I discovered I was able to absorb them and keep them fresh. But Luffy is doing his hardest to whittle down my stores. The rubbery captain didn't particularly like vegetables, but when he was hungry he didn't really care as long as he was stuffing his pie hole. To be completely honest, all the food was for me when I go out on missions with no way to feed myself. That is, when I actually left Inoshishi Island.

"Oi! Doru, I'm hungry!"

Ah yes, there he is again. This was the fourth pitiful call for food within the last hour. I grew a very sour lemon in my hand and tossed it gently, very tempted to whip it at Luffy's face. Instead, I held it up and watched as a hand stretched over from the snarling dragon figurehead and snatched the citrus. Luffy smacked his lips happily after nearly swallowing the fruit whole. _'He isn't even bothered by the taste...'_ I thought, looking at my captain. I rolled the thought around my head for a moment. _'Captain. Luffy is my captain. As in someone above me in position on a ship… what have I done?'_

The former cabin boy hollered in a panic and the sounds of flapping parchment reached my ears. I wordlessly leaned overboard from the steering wheel where I stood, reached out and grabbed the fluttering maps as we sped past them. Koby ran up the short staircase to the wheel deck to check on the wellbeing of the charts he stole from his former captain. He sighed in relief when he saw them clutched in my hand. "Thank you Andoru-san! That was our only way to get to Shells Town. I don't know what I'd do if we lost these."

I shrugged, "It was nothing Koby." I looked at the purple box compass, seeing the needle still pointing strong in a single direction. "We're still headed North-Northwest and we've had a strong tailwind the entire time. We would've reached Shells Town at this point by drifting in the sea, regardless of charts. I'm surprised we haven't arrived yet. _The Dragon _is the fastest wind powered ship I've ever seen." As if in response to my words, a stiff wind blew and _The Dragon_ surged forward. Koby had to grab onto the railing and Luffy whooped in joy. A grin was on my face and I patted the wheel affectionately. "I haven't even started using my Devil Fruit to power it yet!" I crowed.

Koby cocked his head to the side. "You kept talking about you Devil Fruit. I've never heard of one like that."

Again, I shrugged. "There's no surprise that you haven't heard of my Devil Fruit." I eyed him speculatively, "And I see no reason that I should tell my secrets to someone that dreams to be a marine Admiral." Koby flinched and looked at the deck of my ship. My mouth twisted into a frown, and I remembered just who the pink-haired kid came to Inoshishi with. Luffy wasn't afraid for a single moment to blurt out his dream of wanting to be the Pirate King, which took guts. The fact that someone so openly admitting to want to be Pirate King got a person who just as openly admitted to dreaming of being an Admiral to follow him? That took a lot more than just guts. "But you seem to know Luffy, and he isn't so bad of a person from what I've seen, despite a remarkable lack of self-preservation. Besides, he's got Zen's approval, and that's just about all I need to trust someone." Koby followed my line of sight to Luffy and pursed his lips. "Other people on the other hand, need to earn my trust." I said.

The small teen looked at me, "Luffy is the one that saved me from Alvida, isn't that good enough?"

I scoffed, "And what's stopping you from stabbing him in the back the first opportunity that you get? Or me for that matter?" I picked him up by the neck of his shirt and peered into his eyes searchingly, "Is it power that motivates you? If so, then I should throw you off my ship right now. I can get to Shells Town on my own."

He squirmed in my grip and glared at me, "I never wanted to be Alvida's cabin boy! I thought her pirate ship was a fishing ship! She kept me there as a slave for two years before Luffy saved me, he's my friend and I'll never do something like that to him!"

We locked glares until I suddenly smiled and dropped him, "Good. That was genuine anger in your eyes. You're loyal and have good morals." With a regretful smile, I smoothed out his wrinkled uniform and grew him a peach from my hand in consolation. "I truly apologize, Koby. I just needed to test you were trustworthy before telling you any of my secrets. As a person who lived alongside pirates for a long time, I know what lows people will go to in order to get what they want." I offered the peach for him to take.

For a while, Koby just stood there frowning at me thunderously. Eventually he sighed and took the fruit. "I understand, Andoru-san. You aren't the only one who's lived with pirates here. Those guys would do anything if they could get something out of it." He glanced at Luffy, who was whistling a merry little song horribly out of tune. "He's different though, couldn't you tell?"

I nodded. "Another reason that I came out here with you two. I just have a feeling about him, and I can always trust my gut." A pillar of wood rose from next to me up to Koby's shoulder-level, and I placed my hand on it, channeling my power to grow. "My gut also told me you were a decent person, but I just needed to make sure."

I lifted my hand from the pillar, revealing a small shoot with a single leaf on the stem. "As you can see, the Mokuzai-Mokuzai no Mi allows me to manipulate plant life. It is what is known as a logia-class Devil Fruit." I wasn't going to let Koby know about the full extent of my powers. The knowledge of the Torio-Mokuzai no Mi was too dangerous to allow someone, even the freshest of marine recruits, to know. Only Vegapunk, Zen, Robin, and myself will know unless I decide to share it. "It's really nothing special." I remarked, watching the plant bob in the wind created by _The Dragon's_ speed.

Koby gaped at me, "Are you kidding? You can create life from nothing? That's one of the coolest things I've ever seen!"

I smiled gently, sure my joke would go over his head, but wanting to take the opportunity. "We can all create life, Koby. We just need to find the right person…"

As expected, he didn't get it, "What are you talking about? I can't make plants like that." He said, poking the plant's stem.

I sighed. "Never mind, Koby."

There was a hazy shape on the horizon and I locked the wheel in place. With a mental tug, I found myself perched atop the mast, staring at the incoming island in the distance. "OI!" I yelled down, getting the attention of _The Dragon's _other two passengers. "We're almost there." I paused to wait for Luffy to whoop in joy, before shaking my head and continuing. "You two said something about getting to Roronoa Zoro back on Inoshishi."

Luffy raised a hand into the sky, "Yosh! Zoro will be my second Nakama! And then I'm going to find a musician!"

I shook my head, "You're dead set on that, aren't you? Whatever, Captain. I guess I'll be carrying your pieces back to _The Dragon_ when the 'Pirate Hunter' is done with you then." If my guess about Luffy having some sort of elastic power was right, then Luffy should be vulnerable to sharp weapons. It just made sense, like fire burning wood. "What about you Koby? What are we going to do about you becoming a marine?"

The pink-haired teen was still stuck on Luffy wanting to recruit Luffy and ignored me completely. I shrugged him off just as he shrugged me off and went back to watching as the island Shells Town was on speed toward us. _'He must have a plan then.'_

"Roronoa Zoro is like a beast hungering for human blood. He slits everyone's throats, like he's a demon in human form!" Koby protested, rather loudly.

At the mention of demons, my eyebrows scrunched dangerously, and I made a root grow from the deck and trip Koby. Luffy laughed as I descended down to his level and gave him a menacing look. He stared at me, surprised that I did that to him after we'd settled our differences. "Do not speak of demons, boy. You know nothing of which you talk about. Roronoa Zoro is a man, just like the rest of us." I turned away from him as he picked himself up. "Get up, we're almost there."

**[l]**

* * *

"Wow! So this is the town with the marine base on it?" Luffy asked with his arms spread wide, looking down the street next to the dock. _The Dragon_ bobbed gently in the water, its snarling figurehead and emerald green sail standing out between the dainty white-sailed boats. I finished tying the mooring line and joined the two who'd already clambered onto the dock.

The moment my geta-clad feet touched solid ground, I felt a wave of strength course through me. Even though this island was mostly dominated by buildings, I could feel the plants singing out to me. Even the air seemed sweeter. "It's good to be back on dry land!" I sighed. Luffy seemed to be of the same mind and walked into the town with Koby trailing behind, still trying to convince him that recruiting Zoro was a bad idea. Bidding _The Dragon_ farewell, I followed my captain into the busy street where vendors were peddling their goods.

I wasn't paying attention to what the two were chatting about, so I got quite the shock when everybody suddenly flattened against the closest wall. I turned to Luffy with a sigh, "What did you do?" I couldn't add a 'this time' to it, but I had a feeling that whatever Luffy did will be often enough that I would be able to within the week.

Koby brought the captain down and whispered to both him and I, "It seems Zoro's name is a taboo here."

Luffy shrugged and continued on his merry little way, wide-eyed and taking everything in. "Anyway, we should get to the marine base. That's what you wanted to do, right?"

"Y-yes… but I'm not ready yet." Koby skulked.

I smacked his stupid pink head. "What do you mean by that? Of course you are ready to become a marine! You have two years of seafaring experience and know how to navigate. These are two good things to have." I said.

Koby rubbed the back of his head, "I guess… Hey, I heard that Captain Morgan is in charge here." He started, trying to get another conversation going after the people freaked out over Zoro.

All the shopkeepers and citizens gave shocked gasps at the mention of Morgan and again hit the closest wall in fear. Seeing the group of three now given a wide berth, Luffy laughed boisterously, "This is an interesting town!"

Koby wring his hands, "This is really strange, Luffy. I can see why people would be afraid of Zoro, but why would they be scared of the captain?"

"Meeh. Maybe they just like doing that."

"I do not think that these people enjoy jumping around like that, Luffy."

He ignored me in favor of pointing grandly at a door embossed with the symbol of the marines, "Alright! We're here!"

Koby teared up a bit, "I'm finally here! It looks like," He sniffled, "That this is where we part ways Luffy-san. Even if it was only for a– what are you doing?!"

Luffy had scaled the short wall separating the base from the rest of the town and shielded his eyes from the sun even though he had his straw hat on. "Okay. Now where is that demon?"

I grunted and folded my arms but didn't say anything. Koby gave me a pointed look. "You got angry when I said demon but he can?"

"He is different because he is an idiot."

Koby humphed, "Luffy, I don't think he's going to be in a place like this. Zoro is probably in a cell deep in the–"

"Aha! I found him!" Luffy shouted, jumping down from where he was only to get back up a few feet to the left. This time Koby and I joined him on the wall.

"C'mon Luffy. He can't be here–" Koby said before gasping dramatically.

I sighed and wished Koby would finish a sentence properly without gasping or being cut off. Luffy pointed at a shape in the distance and my keen Ki no Hitobito eyes picked it up easily. Tied to a cross-shaped post was a white-shirted man wearing a green pinstriped haramaki, black pants, and a black bandanna. His skin was fairly tanned, and there were three golden earrings in his left ear. I 'tsk'd at the jewelry but made no comment as Luffy piped up again.

"Well if we just untie the ropes then he can get out, right?"

Koby turned to Luffy and started yelling at the oblivious pirate. "Don't say stupid things like that! You can't let him free, he'll kill you Luffy-san!"

"Eh, no problem. I'm strong." Luffy remarked. One of my eyebrows rose and I couldn't help but believe him as Koby nearly fell off the wall.

"Hey, you guys… you're bothering me. Get lost." A deep, parched voice said from the field. Zoro had picked up his head and was glaring at the three of us. I was unimpressed and hauled myself up to be seated more comfortably. To my surprise, Zoro had green hair causing me to reach up and finger a stray lock that had fallen loose. _'How is that possible? I've never seen anyone with that natural hair color before other than my family. These non-Grand Liners are strange people.'_

"Luffy, it won't matter how good you are, if you recruit a guy like that you'll–" Koby was cut off yet again by a ladder falling against the wall. A small girl with brown hair in pigtails and a sundress on scaled the ladder with a brown sack in her hands. She shushed Koby and I couldn't help but agree with her.

"Yes, Koby. _Shhh."_

The small girl giggled at me and used a rope to get down on the other side of the wall. With her precious cargo held close, she ran over to Zoro, who looked annoyed.

"Luffy-san, you have to stop her before she gets herself killed!" Koby cried. Luffy finally wizened up and ignored the pink-haired teen in favor of watching what was about to go down.

Zoro sighed, "What?" He asked the little girl wearily.

She started opening the package, "You looked hungry, so I made you some onigiri!" She said, happily displaying her bounty.

"You're gonna get killed, shorty. Go away." Zoro grunted.

"You haven't eaten anything though." She protested with a wide smile. "Here! This is my first time making them, but I used all my heart."

Zoro's face tightened and I saw his eyes glance toward the gate to the right. "I'm not hungry!" He shouted. Koby and Luffy couldn't see his expression, but Zoro looked uneasy, not angry. "You're annoying! Hurry up and go home!"

"But…"

"I don't want any! Don't make me hurt you."

I saw three shadows approach the gate and a snide, nasally voice called out. "Bullying kids now Roronoa Zoro?" I didn't bother getting off the wall because there was no way that they could possibly have my picture for the bounty that Vegapunk said he'd put on me for my protection.

A terrible thought ran across my mind and I took in a sharp breath, my eyes wide. _'What if Doctor Vegapunk didn't set a bounty on my head? What if he betrayed us?' _I needed to sneak into the base and look at their bounty posters.

All of them.

I was stiff, and watched the marines more warily now. A man wearing a gaudy purple and pink suit came out of the now opened gate, fingering one of his lapels and showcasing the rings on his fingers. "Looks like you've still got energy, Roronoa Zoro."

His shiny yellow bowl-cut offended me.

Luffy scratched his nose, "Looks like another weird person appears."

I scoffed, "Luffy, you're in no place to say that. Out of all of us, Koby is the most normal, and he's a pink-haired coward that can't finish a sentence."

Koby punched my arm, but reeled back and shook his hand, "Oww. Your arm hurts."

"Then you shouldn't have been so limp-wristed, chicken-bones."

The smallest of the three of us very visibly restrained himself and looked back at the approaching marines with hope. "Thank goodness the marines are here. That little girl is going to be okay now."

"Don't be so sure," I warned.

To prove my point, the pompous man snatched one of the little girl's rice balls. "Hey, these onigiri look good." He said with a grin. He popped an entire one in his mouth and turned green from the taste. "Blegh! That's nasty!" He turned to the girl and shook a fist. "Onigiri need salt. SALT! Why is it full of sugar?!"

The girl lowered her head, "I thought they'd taste better sweet." She mumbled.

I shook my fist angrily, "Hey asshole! There's nothing wrong with sweet onigiri! They taste good like that and my old sensei refused to buy salt!" I shouted. Everyone looked at me strangely but I stood, er, sat my ground defiantly.

The blond marine swiped the other onigiri and threw it to the ground. "Gimme that!" He said. The girl flinched back as he started stomping on the food.

Tears welled up in the girl's eyes. "B-but I made it with all my heart."

The man faked being sorry and pulled out a sheet of paper. "Haven't you read this poster yet? It says that all people that help criminals will be executed. Signed marine Captain Morgan." The girl froze and the man sneered. "You do know who my father is, right?"

"Father?" Koby questioned. "This guy is Morgan's son?"

I shook my head sadly, "See, Koby? Marines aren't as good as everyone thinks. This Morgan is probably a tyrant, seeing as how the people on the island feared even hearing his name in public."

The son jerked his thumb toward the wall, "Hey," He called one of his marines, "Throw this little brat out." The marine froze and blondie grabbed him by the blue bandanna in his shirt. "Hey! I'm telling you to toss her, are you disobeying my orders? I'll tell my father!"

The marine nodded dumbly, "Yes, right away." He approached the little girl and apologized for being forced to hurt her before scooping her up and throwing her over the wall.

Luffy sprung off of the wall and grabbed the girl with elastic arms, making sure to tuck her into himself so he took the impact. My captain hit the ground and sent up a cloud of dust, skidding across the ground once or twice.

The blond son of Captain Morgan started gloating over Zoro's defeat, but I stopped paying attention to him, even though it was tempting to send an arrow through his head just to shut him up. The noisy places outside of Inoshishi made me long for the quiet forest.

In a single fluid motion, I stood on top of the wall and faced Luffy. "Captain, I'm going into the marine base." I announced. "There's something that I need to find." I wasn't sure if I even had a bounty, but I wanted to make sure the good doctor didn't betray his word. I needed to know exactly how careful I should be going around in public. If it was insanely high, then I knew that I should lay low in public, if not then I could freely walk around with Luffy. If there wasn't one at all, then the world is in trouble should Toranku Island is found.

He placed the girl to the side and grinned, "Sure! I'm gonna talk to Zoro and then find something to eat." His stomach roared and he patted it placatingly. "I'm getting hungry!"

I nodded and looked around for a plant to travel to. Around the grey slate wall of the base was a single palm tree sitting in bare dirt. I grimaced at the lack of grass, and therefore lack of a root system. With a sigh, I took my bow out of my internal storage and attached it to my back. "I guess I'll have to be crafty then."

While the son talked, I scanned the base. Koby gasped in horror at something the son said and I glanced at him for a moment. He was transfixed on the scene going on below him, so I figured there was no point in trying to get his attention. I went back to looking for a point of infiltration and some movement caught my eye. A white sheet fluttered in a windowsill with a laundry line trailing out to the other massive cylinder building. Two men were shouting at each other and pointing accusingly from what I saw in the window. The one on the left shoved the other, who did an angry-looking salute and ran out of my view. The other shook his head and clipped a pink shirt to the line, leaving soon afterward.

I smirked. Some idiot must've put a red shirt in with the whites, and now he was getting reamed out for being staining all the pristine white marine uniforms. I've got my point of entry.

Luffy jumped the wall and I noticed that the son had swaggered off with his two unwilling henchmen. I walked beside my captain as he went to talk to Zoro, then passed the two in favor of making my way to the keep. Zoro eyed me as I walked by and I gave him a respectful nod. He closed his eyes and turned to Luffy, resigned to being bothered for a while.

The son had closed the gate, but it was all too easy to grow some roots underneath it and travel through the plants. With the gate at my back, I now had a clear line of sight from which to make my shot. I pulled the bow from my back and strung it in a single motion. An arrow was formed and a thin rope was attached to the rear end for easy plant-travel. Once I shot the arrow into the window, the rope that was attached to me would provide a conduit that I could plant-travel through.

I drew back the bowstring and aimed for the man open window. I took a breath, and halfway through exhaling, I allowed the string to slip from my fingers. There was a gust of wind, but I didn't pay it a second thought. My arrows could travel the speed of a bullet if I increased the tension of the bow enough. That was just one of many factors that went into shooting. Draw weight, draw length, arrow length and weight, the wind, incline, and so much more. Everything having to do with the bow and arrow were all adjustable with my powers, to make for the perfect shot every time. It kind of felt a bit like cheating, but I wasn't complaining. All I felt was the satisfaction of another flawless shot as I watched the arrow sail into the open port.

Making sure to absorb the rope as I travelled to my arrow, I sunk into the plant matter and zipped up the length of the rope. Emerging from the arrow, I nodded in satisfaction at its landing point in a bin of clean clothes.

I took a quick look around the room before taking off my geta and continuing out into the base.

**[l]**

* * *

Strangely, I hadn't run into any marines on my little journey. From what was posted all over the walls, most of the staff was supposed to be up on the roof on Morgan's orders. The man really was a tyrant, and had his marines erecting a massive statue of himself. I had a problem with tyranny, see. People are forced to live under an oppressive regime and in constant fear of what might be done to them. As a man raised to be of noble stature, I could not tolerate that. I did not survive to be the last of my kind to sit idly and watch as others suffer under a man that had power over their very lives.

I took one of the decrees and folded it neatly, putting it into one of the pockets in my green jacket. '_I've made my decision. If Luffy does not rid this town of Captain Morgan, then I will.'_

But first, I had to find the room with all the bounties in it.

With the lack of a marine presence in the base, I allowed myself to relax, if only a little as I strode through the halls on long legs. There wasn't much going on, but that only meant that I had a short time to find my object of interest and disappear into the shadows before everyone returned.

I came to a stop as the hallway I walked in ended in a fork. Luckily there was a solution to my problem of where to go in the form of a brass sign dominating the wall with many names and arrows pointing to the left or right. Humming a tune my mother taught me, I scanned the sign for anything related to bounties. "Ah. There it is." I murmured once I spotted the small section marked 'bounty collection and returns' with an arrow pointing to the right.

My eyebrows furrowed as I made my way down the directed hall and past numerous doors. I was close, I could–

The sound of pattering feet had me instantly alert, and I ducked into the first room I could find. I grimaced at the garish pinks and pastel colors displayed gaudily around the room, but shoved my disgust down and hid myself off to the side. Now that I wasn't at risk of being discovered, I listened more closely. There was only two pairs of steps. One wearing heels that clicked against the stone floor and the other with the unmistakable tread of rubber soles on a solid surface. 'A _woman and a marine,' _I guessed. _'But what is the marine doing away from the roof?'_

The footsteps stopped in front of the door of the room I was hidden in. The man coughed nervously, "Ah. H-here is the room of Captain Morgan's son, H-Helmeppo, Inspector Iman-sama!" His voice cracked and I realized that he was young. Perhaps a fresh recruit.

"Good." The woman's voice purred out sultrily, "Now why don't you show me inside? I was told to conduct my investigation in all the _interesting _places in this base." I closed my eyes and almost sighed, stopping only because of my years of getting brutally punished by making such stupid mistakes. Zen was especially creative when it came to beating bad habits out of people. The woman giggled and I just shook my head silently from inside the room. The poor boy never stood a chance.

There was the sound of keys jingling and I prepared to act. The marine tried a key then muttered a curse when it wasn't the right one. He took it out and jammed another one into the keyhole. He let out a triumphant noise and turned the lock, pushing open the door. My muscles were coiled like a viper ready to strike, and I pressed myself against the wall.

The boy came into view and I swung my foot right into his solar plexus. He wheezed and I grabbed his arms to throw him harshly to the ground. _'No killing.'_ I thought. Stepping deftly to him, I slammed a fist into his head. The boy's head snapped to the side and his eyes rolled back. _'Now there's the woman to deal with…'_

I rolled to the side and swept my leg in a wide arc. The woman jumped back with her hands in front of her, "Whoa, hey, hey! I'm on your side!"

With narrowed eyes, I rose slowly, not letting my guard down for a second. In my palm, I formed a small blade and hid it. "Forgive me if I fail to believe what you say. You have given me no reason to not think of you as an enemy." I intoned, taking in the woman's appearance. She was an attractive woman; slim, but with curves profound enough to enamor any lesser man. Her hair was a pleasant orange color, and her eyes were warm chocolate brown. She had a white shirt with horizontal blue stripes across her bust, and a short brown skirt with white rings down the sides.

She stepped back, and gave a reassuring smile that ultimately had no effect on me. "Well you see. I'm looking for something in this base. That janitor over there found me hiding in a closet and I had to make up a story." Iman said. With a flourish, she gestured to herself, "So I became 'Inspector Iman,' a woman that," her voice dropped to a sultry tone with her eyes half shut sensually, "checks every _nook _and_ cranny_, _thoroughly._"

I was steadfast and regarded her with a stone-faced expression, relaxing from my battle-ready stance. The time for action was over, it was now negotiations. "Your charms have no effect on me, woman." I said bluntly, reabsorbing the blade I'd grown into my wrist seamlessly. "You had best tell me what it is you are searching for, I am not yet convinced of your intentions, but I may be able to assist you if you do the same for me."

She huffed and crossed her arms beneath her bust, "Really? I'm the picture of innocence here! I don't trust you either, so why should I tell you what I'm here for?"

My eyebrow rose and I jerked a thumb at the downed janitor. The message was clear, that could just as easily be Iman on the ground. Her smile became strained, "True."

"I would prefer not to harm or kill a woman, but I will do so without hesitation. You cannot take me by surprise, and there is no exit for you. You may feel it in your best interests to give me the answers I desire."

She wrinkled her nose, "Okay! Fine! I'll tell you what I'm looking for, but can you stop talking like you have such a huge stick up your ass?" I gave her a look that clearly said that I would keep doing precisely what I was doing. She sighed, "Whatever. I've been tracking this one map for a while. It's said to have a path to the Grand Line on it."

She had my full and undivided attention.

Iman leveled a finger at my face sternly, "I've been on this for a long time, so if you mess this up for me, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. I'll make your life hell!"

I ignored her threats, "I can help you search for this map, thief, but I am also searching for something." I said. "And by finding it, I can confirm a promise that was given to me, and gain a great deal of knowledge. If you agree to help me find the bounty I want, then I'll tear this base down brick by brick if that's what it takes to find the maps that you seek."

She raised an slim eyebrow, "Oh really? It seems that you'd have quite the hefty debt to me if I help you."

"Which will be repaid by getting the map. Nothing more, nothing less." I stated firmly, not making room for argument. "I refuse to be indebted to a stranger, _'Iman.'_"

She smiled slyly and gave a little shrug, "Oh well, it was worth a try. You never know when a little debt might help a girl. Pity you're smarter than the usual grunts sent my way." She approached the doorway and leaned against the frame. "I guess I'll have to be satisfied with this little deal."

I did not respond to her words, instead opting to pick up the janitor and search for a place to stow him. I grimaced at holding the pubescent boy for too long and deigned to stuff him into the back of Helmeppo's tall overflowing wardrobe. Iman giggled at the sight of all the pinks, yellows, and baby blues, "This is supposed to be a man's room?"

I grunted. "He is a coward that hides behind his father's authority and the fear his presence brings. His attitude and abuse of power will only make the townspeople hate him. When his father gets taken out, he will be forcefully thrown out, whether by fellow marines or the people." With a shove, the wardrobe doors clicked shut and I let my hand rest there for a moment. "Thus is always the fate of tyrannical dynasties." I shook my head and started walking to the thief, "Is there any clues to the location of your map? Have you checked Morgan's office?"

Iman sighed, "That's isn't happening. Morgan is there, and there's no way that I can snoop around with him in the room."

I led Iman back to the large brass sign at the forked hall. When I found Morgan's office on the board, I started off in that direction.

Iman furrowed her brows in frustration and stomped in front of me, cutting me off. "Hey, idiot! I told you, we can't just march right to Morgan! Don't you listen?"

In response, I pulled the parchment with Morgan's orders on it and handed it to the orange-haired thief. Without waiting on her, I continued on my way. "They will be finished with the statue at any moment. Time is of the essence. Tarry too long bickering, and we will miss both of our chances to get what we want."

The woman caught up with me quickly after scanning the document. "Well why didn't you just say so in the first place?! I wouldn't even need to seduce that boy," she shuddered, "... if I knew that!"

I looked at her sideways, "The notice was posted all over the front of the base, did you not see it?"

"I snuck in from the back of the base!" She defended. "You would've done the same thing."

I smiled to myself, "I came in through the window by the clothesline."

She looked at me in shock, "That line is at least four floors in the air and the walls are smooth stone! No way." She said, clearly not believing me.

I shrugged, "Think what you will Iman-san. I only tell the truth. There is an explanation for everything that happens in this world. I was taught that by a good man. Ah! We have arrived!" I said, seeing the ornate double doors that heralded the opulence of one Captain Morgan. "Allow me to go first. There is a possibility of traps." I explained.

She nodded and I probed about the doorway for tripwires. "You know, this could be done way faster if you just talked normally. I need to get my map before the marines come back." Iman said, making conversation and looking at her nails innocently.

I shot her a nasty look and opened the doors. Just to irritate her, I beckoned her to enter first, "I am not within the secure confines of my domain. Not being in my ship, and undergoing an infiltration certainly qualifies as an instance to be aloof. I will not apologize nor ask for forgiveness in my mannerisms and behavior." As an afterthought, I added, "Iman-san."

She grunted and entered the room, "For some super-secret guy, you talk too much." Within seconds, she'd found the safe that Morgan had installed in his wall, and had it open with an impressive speed. As Iman rifled through the marine captain's belongings, she criticized her findings, "Pfft. This guy is ridiculous. Keeping a box of love letters in his safe? No gems, money? I can't even rob this moron. I almost feel sad going through his stuff, but he's the only one who should be ashamed."

After a few seconds, she let out a satisfied sound. "Here we go. Old rolled-up sea chart." She quickly stood up to unroll it and gasped. Limp fingers dropped the parchment, and it drifted to land face-down in front of me.

I stooped down to pick up the sheet to see what was so shocking about it. Calmly, I unraveled it and was surprised to see not a sea chart, but a note. A grinning skull with a red nose and black lines of face paint over the eyes met my gaze. 'I've flashily stolen your map!' The note wrote, signed '-Buggy the Clown.'

I crushed the note in my hands and rage boiled up inside of me. "Buggy…" I growled.

Iman flinched at my utterance of the pirate's name, "Dammit. It looks like I'm going to have to track him down now." She said rather unconvincingly while putting everything back into the safe. It was silent as she shut the door with a clank. She glanced at me nervously.

I stared at the remnants of the paper in my hands and reigned my emotions back into check. _'No! I can't let the demon influence me again! I have to stay calm and be logical about this.'_

"Iman." I said. She looked at me. "You know where Buggy is." I stated. It was not a question. "Your surprise at my sudden anger caught you off guard and I could see past your facade. I have unfinished business with the clown, as do you." I turned around and headed for the door, "I propose that we collaborate for now, as it will be mutually beneficial."

Her eyes lit up, "'Beneficial'? Now we're talking. I get the map, and all the valuables Buggy has, and you get your weird vengeance thing you broody types are all about."

I walked out of the room, my tabi making no sound on the stone floor, "We get my bounty poster, and the _The Dragon_ will be the ship to take us to wherever Buggy is hiding." I hesitated, "Are you comfortable working with pirates?"

Iman stopped and glared at me with intense hatred in her eyes, "You didn't bother telling me until now?! We already have a deal!" Her clenched hands shook, "I hate pirates!"

"As do I. But not all pirates are bad. Just like there are marines working for their own personal gain, there are pirates who truly believe in helping others." I told her. With a shaky hand, I traced the scars over my eye, "When I was a child, I lived a peaceful life, but there was those who sought to steal the treasure from my home. Buggy the Clown and his crew came to my island to get it. When we fought, he killed every one of us, but I escaped through the sacrifice of my grandfather. Buggy gave me these just before I was out of his grasp." I looked at her with angry eyes, "So yes, I have good reason to want your help. I want the bounty that was promised of me, and then we will find Buggy the Clown to get your map. What I do after that is none of your concern, thief."

Iman stared at me, expression unreadable. After a moment, she started down the hall to the bounty office. "Once we get my map, we're done."

"Understood." I said, following her.

Neither of us spoke at all for the duration of the trip to the office. Only the sound of her heeled sandals, a daring move for someone who lacks balance but she managed it fine, was made.

Finally, we came to the door with a plaque marking the bounty office. She crossed her arms and put her back to me. "Go find your bounty, _pirate._" She spat.

I entered the room without a word, and took in the sight. There was a wooden desk in the center of the floor, and two filing cabinets. On the wall was an ornately framed bounty marked by a large red 'x' over the face. Next to that was a framed newspaper clipping. I looked closer and saw the bounty was for a pirate by the name of 'Kuro of the thousand plans.' A stiff-looking man snarled at me from beyond the marker crossing his face out and I grunted. _'So it was the capture of Kuro that made Morgan famous.'_

I shook my head. I wasn't here to sightsee.

With quick steps I made my way to the cabinets and opened them. My eyes darted through the files, looking for keywords related to me, like 'Andoru,' 'Doru', 'Suchiruamu', or 'Project: Regrowth.' As my fingers sifted through the bounties displaying various pirates and criminals, an unusual sight caught my eye. There was a pictureless bounty poster. Ordinarily, this wouldn't be too much of an oddity, but the name on it sent shivers of horror and relief through me.

"Suchiruamu 'Doruido' Andoru." I read to myself, "Wanted: Alive. For conspiring with 'Devil Child' Nico Robin, escaping a secure World Government facility, sinking two marine galleons, murdering one-hundred forty-seven men, and stealing experimental items." The paper it was printed on was old, meaning that Vegapunk had distributed these early. He wasn't in any danger from the Gorosei now, but Robin and I had to be even more careful. I looked at the large numbers on the bottom of the page and whistled at the price on my head. Where the picture would usually be, there was a scarily accurate physical description of me. The doctor must have been able to predict how I could end up with his science and technology. "Two-hundred million beri…" I murmured, surprised the amount wasn't larger. This was a literal world power we were dealing with dwelling inside of me.

As if summoned by the mention of money, Iman entered the room. "What was that I heard about beri?" She saw the poster in my hand and peered nosily at it. "Ooh, that's a big one! Who's it for?"

I didn't let her see my crimes. I folded the paper and unzipped my jacket enough to tuck the bounty into my inside pocket. "Me." I replied, zipping the jacket back up.

She took a step back, eyes wide. "Y-you're worth two-hundred million beri?!"

"Yes."

Iman suddenly looked apprehensive, and rubbed her hands nervously. "Y-y'know, I could work with you for a bit longer…"

I grunted and kicked the door down. What's some property damage compared to all the other crimes pinned onto me?

The thing flew from its hinges and I heard a startled yell from behind it as the person got bowled over. Iman and I shared a look. "We have to go. Now!" I told her. She nodded and we bolted down the hall together.

With my long strides and supernatural strength, I was able to speak easily while running. "Iman, the marines have finished the statue–"

"Ya think?!"

"We've got to reach the laundry room so I can get us out of here!" I told her, ignoring her snippy attitude.

All of the sudden I heard the sound of boots on stone and the slapping of sandals. There was only one person brave enough to run around the base of a feared marine and stupid enough to get the attention of _everyone_ by doing it. "Luffy." I breathed.

He skidded to a stop and started running right in our direction, holding Helmeppo under an arm. There were four marines chasing after him and when he saw me his eyes brightened. "Doru! Zoro is gonna be my second Nakama!" He shouted. He poked Helmeppo, "Hey, where are Zoro's katana?"

The limp man pointed weakly in the direction Luffy had come from, "Over there in my room. We just passed it." He groaned.

The marines caught up and leveled their rifles at us, "Stop or we'll shoot!" One warned.

I slipped the bow from my back and created four arrows coated with the special knockout poison. "That's nice to know, Luffy. Get down!" I yelled. He ducked and I let the bowstring loose. The four arrows cut through the small distance in a heartbeat and the marines went down. Luffy started laughing and grabbed my arm, pulling me along with him. I looked at Iman and my glance told her to follow us. She looked shocked at the sight of the arrows coming from seemingly nowhere and I grimaced. As I got dragged along, I heard the sound of her heeled sandals behind us.

My overeager captain took me back to the room that I'd met Iman in and shoved the door open. I jerked my hand from his grasp and he strolled along to where three katana were leaning against the wall. I shared a glance with the orange-haired thief. _'Why didn't we notice those?'_

"Ah… which one of these is Zoro's?" Luffy asked. When his prisoner didn't respond he just dropped him on the floor. "Oh well, I'll just take all of em then." He scooped up the swords and glimpsed out the window. "Koby!" He exclaimed.

I looked out the window and saw the small pink-haired teen standing in front of a firing squad. I reached out my left hand and some vines shot from my fingers. "Here, Luffy. Use these."

My captain took the vines and grinned before swiftly tying the katana onto his back. He flashed me a thumbs-up, "Thanks Doru!"

He grasped the window frame and started stretching himself back. **"Gomu-Gomu no… (Gum-Gum)****"** He said, getting ready for… something.

Iman gasped at Luffy's arms stretching. "Wh-what are you people?" She whispered.

When his arms were adequately stretched, Luffy shot forward out of the window, **"Rocket!"** The glass shattered and I saw the black-haired captain catapult himself into the path of the rifles just as the firing squad below shot. I heard Luffy laugh and shout, 'That won't work!' a couple seconds after he made his exit.

I crossed my arms and turned to the girl with a sigh. "Well, that was my captain. He's got an… interesting attitude." I said. She shook her head in disbelief and I grinned, "Wanna see how I got up to the laundry room?" Without waiting for a response, I walked over to Helmeppo's gaudy canopy bed and tied a vine around one of the metal posts.

Making sure to keep the vine connected to me, I sprinted at Iman, whose eyes widened at my sudden charge. I wrapped an arm around her waist and jumped right out of the now open window. She shrieked and screwed her eyes shut, clinging onto me tightly. I closed my eyes for a second before opening them again, _'Ah, free again. Just like the birds in the sky…'_

When we got close to the ground, I tightened the slack on the vine and stopped with a few feet to spare. I cut the vine off and deposited Iman gently on her feet. Her knees were shaking and when she finally opened her eyes, she looked at me with fury. "You _ass_!" She shouted, "You almost killed me!"

My eyes twinkled with humor, "But we're still here, aren't we?"

"We will talk about this!"

"And your threats do not affect me."

She gritted her teeth and looked like she was about to explode, but she just huffed and crossed her arms. I laughed and started off to the open field where Zoro was being held, "C'mon, Iman. We have to go help Luffy before he does something stupid."

She followed me reluctantly and we quickly came upon Luffy asking Zoro whether he'd rather come with him or get executed. From the position we were in, we stood behind the marines. I doubted we were even seen.

The swordsman smiled with a fierce look on his face, "You're the son of the devil aren't you? Heh, fine! I'd rather be a pirate than die here."

Luffy started celebrating and doing a little dance with the swords, "Woohoo! I got a Nakama! This is great!"

Zoro looked irritable, "Alright, I know, you're happy, now get me out of here!"

The marines were frozen. "He… The bullets didn't hurt him!"

Morgan stood there with a stoic look on the half of his face not exposed by the sleek metal plate covering his jaw. "Straw Hat isn't a normal human… It seems that he's eaten one of the Devil Fruits. It is said whoever eats one will be granted unbelievable powers. There are many rumors about the Fruits, but too many to determine what is true. The secret of them is supposedly held in the Grand Line." He let the axe serving as his right hand dangle by his side.

Meanwhile, my captain was tugging at the ropes holding Zoro uselessly. "C'mon… this knot is really tight."

"Stop screwing around!" Zoro yelled.

Veins bunched up on Morgan's forehead, "It doesn't matter now, anyone who opposes me will be executed! If guns won't work, then cut him to pieces!" He roared. His marines surged forward with a yell and Zoro shouted for Luffy to give him his katana. He put the white one in Zoro's mouth and ropes flew through the air.

The marines brought their blades down as one only to meet the cold steel of Zoro's katana. It was silent as everyone saw a squad of at least twelve marines all get stopped by one man's strength. "Make one move," Zoro growled, "And you're all dead." The marines froze in place and Zoro's eyes flicked up to Luffy. "Going against the marines makes me a wanted man… I'll be a pirate, but if you get in the way of my ambitions, to become the greatest swordsman, you will find yourself killed on the end of my swords."

Luffy grinned, "Greatest swordsman? As the Pirate King's Nakama, I wouldn't expect anything less!"

Zoro returned the gesture as best as he could with his white katana in his mouth, "Whether I am a devil or a saint, my name is going to be written all over the world!"

Luffy smirked, "Duck, Zoro!" He drew a foot back and sent it at the marines being held up by Zoro's blades. **"Gomu-Gomu no Muchi! (Gum-Gum Whip)"** His foot connected with the men and sent them crumpling to the ground at Morgan's feet.

"What are you?" Both Zoro and Iman asked at the same time. I looked at her and tapped the side of my nose with a smile.

The marines at Morgan's feet started shouting out that they were no match for Luffy now that Zoro was on his side, and the captain silenced them with a yell. "Shut up! This is the captain's order, anyone who is complaining will shoot themselves in the head!" The men trembled, and some raised pistols to their temples.

Luffy's footsteps pattered against the ground as he darted between the marines and toward Morgan. Quick as a flash, he planted his fist into the steel axe arm of Morgan. The tall marine growled and threw his coat back, "I'm Captain 'Axe-Hand' Morgan of the marines here. Some civilian with no rank is no match for me!"

"I'm Luffy! Yorashiku!" Luffy replied, unthreatened.

The marine roared and swung his axe at Luffy, only for the rubber pirate to duck swiftly beneath it and jump over Morgan's head. Midair, Luffy stomped his feet down on Morgan's face. He was sent sprawling to the ground and spun up to swing at Luffy again, "Die!"

Luffy dodged easily and kicked Morgan in the same exact spot as before, "Don't wanna!"

The marines who had recovered looked on in astonishment as their leader got taken down by a lanky teen in shorts, a straw hat, and sandals. "Captain Morgan… stands no chance against him!"

Luffy grabbed the downed Morgan by the shirt and started pummeling his face, "What kind of marines are you?! Destroying Koby's dream like that!"

"Stop!" A panicked, snooty voice called out. "Strawhat! Look over here!" Luffy paid the son of Morgan no mind and continued to punch the man's face in. "I said stop! Are you an idiot?!"

I looked around incredulously then faced Iman, "The hell did he come from? Are there two of him?"

Helmeppo had a pistol pointed at Koby's head. "Can't you see I've got a hostage here?" That got Luffy's attention, and he stepped off of the fallen captain. "If you value his life, then don't move. Do anything and I'll shoot!"

Luffy looked at Koby's straining face and smiled. The pink-haired teen gathered his nerve and shouted over to him, "Luffy-san, I don't want to interfere with your dream, even if I die!"

"Yeah. I know." Luffy chirped. "Give it up, idiot son, Koby is serious." The rubber teen grasped his shoulder and started walking to his friend, eliciting frightened screams from Helmeppo.

"Don't come any closer! I'm serious, I'll shoot!"

Koby suddenly tensed and a shadow passed over Luffy. "Luffy! Be-behind you!"

**"Gomu-Gomu no…"**

Morgan stood behind Luffy with his axe poised to strike his rubber head right from his shoulders. "I am the captain of the marines, 'Axe-Hand' Morgan!" He declared, swinging his arm down at Luffy.

**"Pistol!"**

Morgan's axe was stopped inches from Luffy's head, and Helmeppo got punched right on the nose, blasting him back into dirt. The marine captain made choking noises, and then fell backwards as multiple cut appeared on his torso. Zoro was revealed to be standing behind the marine with all three of his swords outstretched. Luffy grinned and looked at the green-haired swordsman, "Nice, Zoro!"

He smirked, "It was nothing… Captain." Zoro turned to see the marines standing there muttering disbelieving things about Morgan being defeated. "If any of you still wants to fight, come at us."

As one, the men threw up their swords, knives, and hats in celebration. "Yatta!" "Woohoo!" "We did it!" "Banzai!"

Luffy was confused, "What the… Their captain just got defeated and they're cheering?"

I took that opportunity to slink back to my captain's side with Iman as Koby held his hands up happily. "That's because they were all afraid of Morgan!" Koby said.

I frowned at his sudden revelation. Though it needed to be explained to Luffy, Koby shouldn't have made such light of the peoples' suffering. "Took you long enough to realize not all marines are good, Koby."

He rounded on me angrily, about to say something when Zoro grunted and fell over. Koby shrieked and went to his side, "Zoro-san, are you injured?!"

"Meh… I'm hungry." He said with a tired look on his face.

Luffy laughed and shouted up to the sky, "Yatta! We can eat now!" He grabbed Zoro and I by the wrists and started dragging us into town. "Come on come on! I'm hungry and it's time to eat!"

"Ah! W-wait captain, I don't think you should be dragging Zoro like that!" I yelled to the determined pirate. When he didn't listen, I called back to Iman and Koby, "C'mon you two! I need some help stopping this idiot!"

After a few seconds, they rushed forward. Koby hollering for Luffy to slow down and Iman yelling that she should eat for free.

**[l]**

* * *

"Ah! That meal was good… worth starving for three weeks!" Zoro exclaimed, rubbing his stomach contently as Koby, the little girl that fed Zoro, and her mother laughed.

Luffy popped his fork from his mouth, cheeks bulging with food, "Eh? That's all you're going to eat?"

"I don't understand how you ate more than I did." The swordsman grumbled.

I scoffed, "Please. You should have seen him at Inoshishi. He looked like a balloon." Now that I was in a semi-private area, I let myself slacken my iron-tight hold on my insufferable mask. Iman looked rather surprised when I cracked my neck and dove into a rack of ribs like a savage, laughing and keeping pace with Luffy for a couple of plates before begging off to nibble on something sweet. Most of it was just the throw the woman off, but I was quite hungry after the day.

"Hey, this stuff is good, right Koby?"

The pink haired teen rubbed his head sheepishly, "Sorry, I ate a lot too."

The mother smiled, "That's fine, you just helped save our town!"

The little girl looked at Luffy with stars in her eyes, "You did amazing back there!"

Luffy smiled, "I'm great!" He replied tactlessly, "I'm gonna keep getting greater until I'm the Pirate King!" He turned to Zoro, "I found another Nakama, too!"

Zoro leaned back in his chair, "Yeah. How many others are with us now?" He asked, thinking it was only Luffy and himself in the crew. "I remember you saying you were looking for a crew. To become Pirate King, you probably have a big crew already."

Luffy stuffed a piece of ham in his mouth, "Nope, just you and Doru."

Iman crossed her arms, "And what am I? Andoru and I had a deal. I would help him find his bounty, and then he'd help me find a map!"

Luffy looked confused, "He did?"

I nodded, "Yes, captain. I told her that she had my help as long as she got the map." I spread my hands, "It wasn't on the base, now we need to find the pirate that stole it and take it from him." With a flourish, I took a pear from my inner storage and bit into it. "She'sh wif ush now 'til she getsh it."

Luffy shrugged, "Okay. I was just going to drift around until we found something fun to do. As long as I get to kick somebody's ass…" He trailed off, eying Koby's plate.

Koby laughed nervously and held his drink, "Luffy-san was born without planning abilities."

I nodded, trusting Koby's judgment on this one, "What do you think, Iman?"

She hesitated, "I'm, uh, okay with that. But I have to tell you something. I wasn't completely honest with you. My real name is Nami."

"So? We were in the middle of a marine base. As a criminal, you'd be stupid to say your real name in a government building."

She relaxed, "Okay. Well, what about your ship?"

Zoro perked up, looking at me. This was one of the things he'd wanted to know. "Well," I started, "_The Dragon_ is an old-design yacht with a tall mainsail. There's yet to be a ship I've found that can outspeed her in a strong tailwind." I grinned, "And that's not even counting what little secrets I've got hidden in her." I stroked my beard and looked around the restaurant, "It'll probably be a tight squeeze though. _The Dragon_ is meant for two people."

The little girl tugged on Luffy's vest, "Where are you guys going now?"

The captain grinned, "Isn't it obvious? We're going to the Grand Line!"

Koby did a spit take, spilling the juice he'd been drinking all over himself. "Are you serious?! With just you three? That's not possible, the Grand Line is too dangerous! The reason there's so many pirates there is because the Pirate King, Gold Roger left his legendary treasure, the One Piece there! Now the Grand Line is nothing but a battleground and a pirate graveyard…"

Luffy rested his arm on his chair, "But One Piece is there, so we have to go."

"Well," Zoro said, leaning his chair back on two legs, "I guess that's decided then."

Nami slammed her hands on the table, "Are you all crazy?! You can't survive the Grand Line, it'll kill you all!"

I laughed loudly and tossed Luffy the rest of my pear. "Ha! I came from the Grand Line. It's not all it's cracked up to be. The magnetic fields that some of the islands have make it so that nobody really visits them. Of course, there's the paths that are heavily trafficked." I shook my head, "Man, on my sensei's trip through there, he said those ones were a total bloodbath." This knowledge was from a mixture of things Zen, Vegapunk, Violette, and Robin told me. They all chipped in and told me things about the mysterious sea. I reckon that I'm the only one that knows anything more than speculation about the sea.

Koby looked at me, "Andoru-san, you too?"

"Of course! Besides, it's not like you're coming with us. Nami isn't even staying very long, either."

"Still." Koby said, "I'm worried about you guys." He gave me a nasty look, "But not you… Am I not allowed to be worried? Even though we just met, Luffy-san and I are friends, right?"

"Ah." Luffy confirmed with a nod.

Zoro grunted, "You should be more worried about yourself. Even though you were forced into it, you still served under that pirate Alvida. The marines' intelligence crew finds out about all the little details like that. When they found out, you wouldn't be able to join."

Koby stiffened and the doors of the little restaurant opened. A group of marines came in and the leading one, wearing a green bandanna and had a goatee, called for attention. "Excuse me." He said, "Is it true that you are all pirates?"

Luffy nodded and I looked around for Nami, but she was nowhere to be found. I stretched my legs underneath the table and my foot came into contact with something vaguely shoulder-like. A smile came onto my face. Nami was hiding under the table? That was just like what Nee-chan did whenever Tou-san was angry with her for slacking off. "Yup!" My captain said, "I just got a new Nakama, we're pirates!"

The marine shadowed his eyes with his white ballcap. "We are thankful that you have freed us from the clutches of Captain Morgan, but now that we've discovered that you are pirates, we cannot look the other way. You must leave this place immediately!" He lifted his head, "Just because we owe you our lives, we will not contact headquarters." He said stiffly.

For a few moments, everything was quiet, then Luffy stood up, "Well then. Let's go! Thanks for the food obaachan."

The little girl pouted, "You guys are leaving already?"

"Yeah." Luffy said as he passed her.

I nudged Nami with a toe and then got up to join the procession of departing pirates. Zoro and Luffy already being in the doorway, I hadn't much ground to make up. Hesitantly, Nami emerged from underneath the tablecloth with crimson cheeks and gave the marines a little wave. The one with the green bandanna gave her a strange look which made her embarrassed blush deepen, and she hurried to my side with her face buried in her hands.

The only one left from the group of miscreants was Koby, who stood stock-still in the middle of the restaurant. I saw the man step behind him. "Excuse me, aren't you one of their comrades?" He asked Koby. The teen wasn't capable of speech, so he turned to Luffy. "Wait just a minute pirate, is he with you?"

Luffy turned with a smile, "This guy? Oh, I know all about him." Koby turned to Luffy, slightly shaking in fear. Luffy spread his arms wide, "There was this one pirate lady who was at least this big and looked like a huge duck!" He walked over to Koby and started poking him on the head, "She had this big mace and was a really ugly hag. This guy here served on her ship for two whole years!"

Koby looked very conflicted with himself, and broke into a nervous sweat. A moment of panic flashed across his face, and he suddenly reared back to deliver a haymaker into Luffy's face. "Shut up!"

The captain's head snapped back, and his hair cast shade over his eyes. "Now you've done it you little bastard!" He yelled with an evil grin. Luffy started punching Koby light enough that he really didn't hurt him, but hard enough to make it look real.

The marine took a step forward, "Please, stop this immediately! I will not let you disturb the peace of this town!"

Zoro snatched Luffy's vest, "Hey, that's enough. Don't go overboard."

Koby fell onto his back and the marine pointed imperiously at Luffy. "It's clear he's not with you. Leave our town at once, pirate!"

Luffy smirked and put his hat back on, leaving the restaurant without another word. We all followed him out to where _The Dragon _was moored.

**[l]**

* * *

As the dark colored ship with the appearance of scales on it sailed out into open seas, I saw the entire dock filled with marines. Every last one of them, from the scrawny tan-skinned ones to the pink-haired recruit standing out front, were saluting _The Dragon_.

Luffy was posed on the figurehead, pointing a finger to the horizon, talking to Zoro, and I stood like a statue at the helm, guiding the yacht with the skill of one who knows their ship from inside-out. Nami was looking rather disgruntled and uncomfortable squeezed in next to Zoro, who probably hadn't bathed in weeks. It wasn't my fault I never designed _The Dragon _to hold more than two people, she was meant to be a slim, speedy vessel.

I opened the compass. "Where are we off to, Nami? Buggy's hiding out there somewhere, and I intend to flush him out of whatever hole he crawled into. You can get your map, and then we won't ever have to see each other ever again."

She only looked slightly happy to hear that, and pointed off in a direction, "Over there. There's a place on a little island called Orange Town. He's been there for a few days, so he probably set up shop already."

I oriented the compass and read what it said to the rest of the crew. "Alright! We're headed South-Southeast to Orange Town. _The Dragon _will be there in a few days or you can have your money back! Eat your heart out Zen!"

**[l]**


	8. Chapter 8: The Last Laugh

**Chapter 8: The Last Laugh**

**AN: I'm back with another chapter, I hope all of you enjoy! In this chapter we have the reason why the pirate nobody expected to go on a rampage in the Grand Line did what he did.**

**I'm trying to do a novel kind of thing, where nobody gets all the information until the very end, where they can connect all the dots. That's my reason I'm so annoyingly vague, so please bear with me, and review!**

"Speech"

'_Thought'_

**"Attacks! (Translations!)"**

**[l]**

_Vengeance. A pretty word to describe one of the ugliest parts of life. An excuse for angry people to direct their unending rage at those who have supposedly wronged them. There is no objectivity to it, and it cannot be said that revenge isn't personal. Whoever says so is a liar._

_All my life, I've been conflicted, faced with vengeance against a certain man, and I've made my choice. _

_I've told myself that I would get revenge for the murder of my family in cold blood. I would take the life of every one of Buggy's crew, just to make him feel how I felt, just before killing the man himself. It would be glorious. _

_But it wouldn't stop there. I would find something else to hate, someone I could crash down on to fuel my addiction to the sensation of anger. Time after time, until the only thing left would be a shell of hate and destruction. The demon inside long past consuming me by then._

_That is not my choice. That would dishonor everything I've survived for. My family died to protect me, to preserve a final vestige of the Ki no Hitobito. Giving all of that up just to temporarily fill the void in my heart would not be worth it. It will never be worth it. My soul would hunger for a sense of completeness once more, and only in destruction would I feel whole again._

_No, I do not need vengeance. I need closure. My family is never coming back, and nothing I can do will change that. Murder will help nothing here._

_I only hope that when the time comes to face down Buggy, I will be able to control myself and quell the demon's madness within me._

The sound of a woman groaning caught my attention and I put the pen down. Nami had awoken and was stretching rather loudly, but nobody else was awake to hear it besides myself. I nodded to her, "Good morning, Nami-san." I said, making note of the rising sun in the sky. Was it really the morning already? I'd spent much longer writing than I thought.

"Ugh, what's this ship made of? Feels like I'm sleeping on a rock." She said, ignoring my greeting and rubbing her lower back tenderly.

I tapped my tabi-clad foot on the deck a couple times, feeling what she meant. The outside of _The Dragon _was made of the steelwood that made up most of my outfit, but it wasn't flexible like my jacket and pants. The wood making up the ship was like the wood that my spaulders and bracers were made of. It was a wonder Nami got any sleep at all. I had a nice bed inside the ship I'd never used, instead preferring to rest under the stars. From the sleeping forms of the other two in the crew, they didn't mind the fresh air or the hard deck either. Zoro looked positively dead to the world as he leaned against the rail, snoring.

I didn't sleep at all last night. Not because I couldn't, I just didn't want to. It was a beautiful night. The stars and moon were out and a warm breeze spent its time caressing my face. I'd forgotten what it was like to be out on the sea, and despite my land-based heritage, I felt like I was greeting an old friend in the waves.

Nami must have probably been sailing for a long stretch of time if the novelty of the open waters didn't appeal to her. She obviously didn't share my sentiments about the sea at the moment.

The doors to the cabin opened up under my power, revealing an antechamber and a short staircase going below-decks. "There's a bed down there if you want it. _The Dragon_ hasn't been lived in or used for a couple of years, so I don't care if you claim it." I said, keeping my eyes on the sea. The mattress was clean, and I'd never had a chance to use it.

Nami lifted an eyebrow and crossed her arms under her chest, "Is this some kind of plot to get me in your bed?" She asked accusingly.

I scoffed, "Yeah, sure. Because I'm interested in a little thief I've just met the other day who hates my guts for not telling her I was a pirate." If she didn't want it, fine. I'd just christen it myself. I'd had it imported from Loguetown, where such luxuries were rampant. There was a guarantee that nobody had so much as laid a hand on it in a sleeping manner. "If you're that unhappy with sleeping on the deck, I can just throw you a blanket or something. This is me trying to be kind to a guest." I said.

She winced at how she might have sounded, or might have possibly damaged her chances for some real comfort. "Well, I mean, this deck is really hard, and I'm not going to be around for too long…"

"Take it then." I said, smiling now at the expression on her face. I could tell she didn't want to lose the chance of crashing in an actual bed instead of what was equal to solid steel. "It's never been used. I personally don't care about it, Nami-san. Luffy doesn't need to worry about ever being uncomfortable, I think, because of his Devil Fruit." I frowned thoughtfully, "But I can't say much about Zoro. I don't know much about him other than his abilities with swords." My smile came back, more mischievous than anything, "So if he wants it, you'd best get to it before him. Unless of course, you think you can beat him in a fight for it."

Nami glanced to the open doors, "I'll… keep it in mind." She said quickly, not spoiling for a fight with the swordsman.

A brief gust of wind tossed her short orange hair into her face and made the ship lurch forward in a sudden burst of speed. Nami grabbed the railing, and looked at the tall mast. "How fast are we going? I've never been on a ship like this."

I shrugged, "I don't know. _The Dragon_ is a quick ship. I've raced her against a couple of the pirates renting Inoshishi for some extra pocket change, and I've yet to see her lose."

Nami eyed me speculatively, "Where is this 'Inoshishi' Island? I've never heard of it before."

"Really?" I asked, surprised. "You must not be big enough of a deal on the seas to know of it then. From what I saw, you were an acceptable thief. At least with a high enough bounty to know already."

She smiled smugly, "Just 'Acceptable?' That wasn't even the first Marine base I've raided. At this point it was just another routine snatch-and-grab."

"Ha! So that's why you ran in such a panic when the Marines showed up." I jibed, trying to divert her attention from Inoshishi. If she hadn't heard of it, then there's no point risking Zen's life work. It was an entire island hidden from the marines, for ancestors' sake!

Nami crossed her arms now that the wind had calmed down, "I was perfectly fine before you and that Luffy guy started using your freaky powers, if you remember." She shook her head, "But we're getting off topic. I want to know more about this island. You said something about pirates renting it? What kind of loaded people live there to be able to afford renting an _entire island?"_

There was a moment of silence as I contemplated answering her. I could tell that she'd never stop hounding me for information until I gave her something. The greedy gleam in her eyes told me such. My green eyes closed, and I stroked the scars over my eye in resignation. "Inoshishi is a safe haven for pirates all over East Blue. Not many people know it's there because it's run on the principle of honor among thieves. What kind of man would willingly compromise a place they all had for guaranteed sanctuary? All the fun the pirates had was just a bonus. In return for providing relative safety, the pirates pay a hefty rental fee."

I cracked open my left eye and held up a hand, forming a razor-sharp dagger with my powers, just as my father had done so long ago. "Fees, which were enforced very strictly." I looked into Nami's eyes, willing the point to sink in. "Pirates that failed to honor the agreement were forced to leave, or die."

She shivered at the deadly serious air, and glanced away, her face downcast. "How can a place like that exist? Pirates are filthy criminals! They can't be controlled!"

I sighed. "No. You're right. Pirates can't be controlled, but they can be swayed by comfort and hospitality. There would be regular feasts and the liquor flowed like water. That way, they managed to be on somewhat good behavior with the reward of being fed being dangled in front of their eyes."

Nami had a peeved look on her face, "So those who couldn't afford it got kicked out." There was something in her face, hidden. Like there was more to what she was feeling, but she wanted to keep it under wraps.

I nodded, "But these are pirates we're talking about, not citizens. The people of Inoshishi Island enjoy their lives very much. Pirates who couldn't pay just had to deal with it or meet their ancestors." I said with finality.

She looked at me aghast. "There's civilians living there?! How can they be safe if pirates are there too? Who runs this place?"

I chuckled, "Safe? Of course they're safe. The citizens have their own town with everything they need. There's always a mayor, and I always made sure to cut the knees out from beneath any pirate who tries to take over."

My easygoing grin dropped, "Well, except for the time the owner of the island couldn't see past his greed." I sighed.

I'd told her this much already, so why not say some more? "Nami, what do you know of the Fishmen?"

She froze, then turned away from me. "Nothing."

There was a frown on my face. What started out as an innocent question must have touched on something personal. I pretended like I hadn't noticed her response and continued on with my story, "The one that took over the island was a warlike one. An ugly mix of man and angler who liked to blow things up." I locked the wheel in place and walked down the stairs where Nami was, tired of manning the wheel for now. She stiffened as I drew closer, but I paid her no mind.

With a huff, I collapsed into one of the deck chairs I had and leaned my head back, feeling the sun bathe me in its warmth. "He blocked off all of the shores and the port with naval mines, and seeded the entire island with explosives. I would know, he put them everywhere. Immediately after arming the entire island to explode, the fishman set up shop in the mayor's house. The people were too afraid to do anything about it, and the official owner of the island was too preoccupied with the amount of money he was taking in from the fishman. The fishman must've been funded from somewhere, because the amount of money he first forked over was staggering.

"Anyone, pirate or civilian, who tried to leave was killed. In order to leave safely, the fishman extorted them. The way he did it made it seem practiced." I said. Out of the corner of an eye I saw Nami tensed with closed fists. "This only let him stay longer, until about seven months later, when the owner's income started taking a heavy hit from the lack of pirates coming in to hide away. I was deployed to deal with the fishman, Mad Bomber, in a manner that wouldn't attract the leader of the Fishmen, 'Saw-Tooth' Arlong."

I shrugged then, leaning my head back down and sneaking another discreet glance at Nami. As I suspected, name-dropping Arlong evoked a response from her. She was now shaking, from anger or otherwise. So whatever it was, had something to do with him for sure. "The Mad Bomber was taken down with a single arrow." My lips twisted into a snarl, "It seems even the so-called mighty Fishmen can lose to _weak humans_. I made sure to poison him and dump him in the sea."

Strangely, it felt… _good_ to talk about where I came from. Like I was lifting some burden from my shoulders. I was going to ask Nami about her past, so she could get whatever it was about the Fishmen off her chest, but my opportunity was spoiled by Luffy waking up and proclaiming his awareness to the world.

I grit my teeth as dread passed through me. Now I realize what I'd just done. Nami knew more about me now than I'd wanted to initially share. It gave me a conflicted feeling, because it felt good to share, but she had blackmail material on me. I could never turn this back onto her without risking everything my sensei has worked for.

So sue me, I was just curious about this little orange-haired thief! She obviously has an interest in the Grand Line from the length she is willing to go to get that map. I also have an interest in the Grand Line, along with Luffy and maybe Zoro unless Dracule Mihawk comes to East Blue.

All of our goals seemed to be there, so why couldn't we all just band up and get there together? The three of us were already in a temporary alliance together, so what was the harm of letting Nami in more permanently? Who cares about her connection to the Fishmen of Arlong Park? I feel confident enough in my own abilities to go toe-to-toe with them. I'm sure Luffy and Zoro are chomping at the bit to test their strength as well.

"Yosh! I'm ready for another adventure!" Luffy shouted. He then turned to me, all smiles. "Yo, Doru! How close are we to adventure?"

I smiled at how little he seemed to care about in the world and stood. I suppose I've spent enough time lazing around. Back to work behind the wheel it is. "I don't know how much of an adventure it'll be, but we should be there soon." I said to him. By soon, of course, I meant I had no idea of how long it'd take. We left Shells Town a day ago, so we could be at Orange Town within hours, or in days. From _The Dragon_'s speed, I was leaning more towards the former.

"Ok…" Luffy replied, seemingly satisfied by this answer.

"I'm hungry!"

The smile on my face became rather forced. More of a baring of the teeth than anything. "Of course you are Luffy." I gritted out. "Of course you are."

**[l]**

We arrived at the island wherein Orange Town was located several hours later. Thankfully Luffy had only harped on me for food a couple of times before we got interrupted by several interestingly dressed pirates. The ship they were in bore the mark of Buggy the Clown, and they were all dressed in clothing more befitting of a carnival. It was then that I knew I was close to the man who killed my family. Luffy, having been ready for a fight since he woke up, was all too eager to beat up the poor sods that dared to stop him from adventure.

Zoro eventually woke up when Luffy dumped him out onto the dock, but the green-haired swordsman begged off on going ashore to catch up on some sleep. He claimed that he was awake nearly the entire time we was tied to the wooden post, and he wouldn't be interested in what was happening. I only nodded at him, understanding his feelings completely.

Therefore, it was Luffy, myself, and Nami that went into the seemingly deserted town. This in itself was suspicious, and the feeling of resentment I had at what caused the people to desert the place only grew. Hadn't Buggy the Clown ruined enough lives already? What right did he have to do this to the people?

Scuffling movement ahead of us drew us out of the comfortable silence I'd been enjoying, and I looked to see a group of men walking on patrol dejectedly. One of the three was obviously more alert than the rest and smacked the middle one on the chest. The middle one snapped at his fellow pirate then followed the direction of his comrade's outstretched finger. Meanwhile, the last pirate had taken to eyeing Nami like a piece of meat.

Without a single word, the three pirates took out swords and began advancing on us. Luffy took this as a challenge and cracked his knuckles happily, "Shishishi! This is gonna be fun!" He said.

The three goons didn't stand a chance as Luffy seemingly instinctively bobbed and weaved through the swords. The one drooling over Nami got righteously taken down with a shot to the gonads, and Luffy delivered a massive haymaker to another while he was cringing at his fellow pirate, knocking him flat. The last one took the opportunity while Luffy was dealing with his comrades to back up and swing his sword in a cleaving motion, but Luffy just sidestepped and looked at him like he was an idiot.

The pirate realized he was terribly outclassed and turned to run, but only got two steps before a rubbery fist smashed into the back of his head.

My captain returned to the two of us, grinning. "This island is fun! People come to us to get their asses kicked!" He said.

Nami took him by the shoulders and shook him vigorously, "You can't just beat up random people idiot! They could have told us where Buggy is! I need to get that map!"

I hummed and crossed my arms, idly toeing one of the downed pirates, "I agree. We need to get your map. There needs to be some kind of plan." Nami stopped shaking Luffy and the leader of the Strawhats cocked his head at me.

"What do you mean? We just go in and kick everyone's ass." He stated, wondering why we need a plan to do that.

Nami seemed to latch onto my idea and nodded, ignoring Luffy. "Yes! I have an idea of what to do, but I need someone to be the bait."

"Bait? Do you really think these pirates are stupid enough to fall for whatever you're going to do?" I asked.

She gave me a flat look and gestured to Luffy, a prime example of an idiot pirate.

"Point taken." I said. "What do you have in mind, Nami-san?"

She pulled out a coil of rope from… somewhere and held it up. "We take one of you two and tie you up in the rope. Whoever gets tied up has to act like our fake captain–"

"I'm the captain!" Luffy announced, pointing to his chest with a grin.

Nami gave a sly smile as if expecting this and looked to me, "Then we'll walk into wherever Buggy has his base set up and give the 'captain' to him as a peace offering to join his crew." She explained. I nodded, understanding the espionage but hating the fact that I had to masquerade as one of _Buggy's _henchmen. She continued seeing that I was following her so far, "Once we are in, then you do whatever and distract them while I find the map."

I held up a finger, "What do we do if–"

"I'm getting there!" She snapped, interrupting my interruption. I backed off, a flicker of irritation blossoming in my mind. "When I get the map, I'll give you a signal." She winked, preemptively putting an end to my interruption. "You'll know it when you see it. After that, you grab Luffy and meet me back at the ship."

I nodded. Seeing as how she never addressed my concern, I brought it up again. "We can't be sure that Luffy won't be executed when we bring him up to Buggy. I know Buggy like to destroy things, so I believe there'll be a high chance the clown will have one of us do something to Luffy to prove our loyalty." I pointed out. As an archer, I couldn't rip off an arrow at Luffy because that would hurt him for sure. "If Buggy wants to test us, we need some kind of way to fool them. I can't just shoot Luffy with an arrow in case we need to fight Buggy."

Luffy smashed one hand into another, "I got it! We run in there, and kick everyone's ass!"

"No, Luffy!" Nami and I shouted and groaned respectively.

I tried to think of what we were trying to do in 'Luffy terms.' Once I thought I had it, I turned to him. "Okay, what we're trying to do here is steal a very valuable, _delicious_ piece of meat." I said, locking eyes with Nami and pleading with her to just go with it. Luffy wasn't stupid by any means, but his way of thinking was a bit… simple. I suspect with time, he'll prove himself a great man and rallying point, but I don't really know how to interact with him yet. I've never met someone like Luffy before. The more time I spend with him, the more I'll understand.

"What we need you to do," I continued, "is let us tie you up and take you to Buggy so Nami and I can get it for you, okay?" He nodded enthusiastically. "Alright, if we have to hit you or do something to you, you have to play dead until we give you the meat, got it?" Again, Luffy nodded, his stomach rumbling at the prospect of food. I turned to Nami, "I think he understands." I said.

With a wince I added, "I feel terrible for talking to him like that, but all I've really heard from him so far is hunger and becoming the Pirate King. All we have to do now is grab something when we leave."

Nami shook her head at my way of conveying thing to my rubbery captain, then hummed and placed her hands on her hips. She paced back and forth, then came upon one of the unconscious pirates. Still thinking, she idly pushed him onto his back with a foot, "Let's see…" she mused.

I noticed something on the pirate, and I grinned, "Nami, look." I said, kneeling by the man and picking up the object that caught my eye. The gun felt much heavier than it actually was, and I looked at it quizzically. "He's got a gun." She looked confused before I wiggled it, "Luffy is made of rubber, he can't be hurt by blunt objects like bullets."

She smiled, grasping on to what I was meaning. We had our method of 'execution' now. Thank the ancestors for coincidences. I scooped up the weapon and for some reason, it felt almost tiring to be in possession of the gun. I couldn't quite put my finger on why. For now, I just put the thought aside. I'd never used a gun before, so maybe this was how they felt?

**[l]**

With the loaded gun tucked into the sash on my waist and ropes in hand, I took up the rear of the three-man procession. Nami had elected to take up the front so she could talk her way out of a potential confrontation. She believed in her speaking skill to keep her safe, while I personally wasn't much of a talker. All I had was an impressive vocabulary and everything that came with my Devil Fruit. My role in this plan was dumb muscle.

If push came to shove, I could use Luffy as a ball-and-chain. Was it as effective as getting rid of the ropes and letting him fight for himself? No. But it was a satisfying way to pay him back for hours of bellyaching about his hunger.

I closed my eyes, wondering why I even entertained the thought. Buggy was dangerous, and we needed all hands on deck for a fight.

We came up to the building that was obviously used as a base of operations for the pirates. Predictably, they had chosen a bar to set up shop on top of. There was a circus tent pitched near the back end of the building, big enough to house a tactical room or act as shade for a throne and tables. Considering the pirate crew that took over this town, I was leaning toward the latter. As we weren't close enough, I couldn't see what was inside even with my supernaturally sharp eyes. We were close enough though, to hear raucous festivities going on at the top of the building. It certainly explained the unhappiness of the pirates we got the gun from.

The massive booming sound of a cannon firing sent images of a burning forest flashing through my head. _'The Buggy Ball…' _I turned to look at the side of the bar, where the cannon was emitting smoke. Pirates were nearby, all laughing at the destruction that was rent by their mad captain's creation.

An entire row of houses near the docks had been completely obliterated by the explosion. My jaw clenched at the thought of that getting any closer to our last crewmate still resting on _The Dragon._

Nami turned to Luffy, "Okay, remember what Andoru said about playing dead?"

"Yup! I wait for you to go away before I start snacking!"

She smacked him right on back of his black-haired head, "That's not it at all! You play dead and you stay like that until Andoru comes back to get you!"

Luffy had a knot on his head where her first collided with his head. "Jeez." He whined, "Okaaay! I'll stay down, but you better get me some great meat!"

I patted his shoulder, "It's okay Luffy, I'll make sure to get you the juiciest steak you can imagine." That seemed to calm him down as well as cause his stomach to rumble.

We entered the bar through the ground floor and ignored the stares of the more sober clown-themed pirates as we ascended the staircase to the roof. When we reached the top, a silence dropped over the atmosphere like someone scratching one of those music playing Den-Den Mushi. Poor snails.

Now that we were atop the bar, I could see that, yes, there was a throne underneath the tent. Pitiful. Time had hardly touched the man in the orange coat, and he wore the same outfit as the one he wore on Toranku. An alien anger rushed through my head, so powerful it almost made me dizzy. Here he was; flanked by a man with white fur clothing, a man with a checkered scarf on a unicycle, and a man in a black tuxedo and top hat. The one that killed every last one of the other Ki no Hitobito was right in front of my eyes. My father, my sister, my mother, my grandfather. With every thought, my heart felt like it was racing faster.

Buggy stood from his throne and stalked into the sunlight with a scowl, "What are you three doing here flashily ruining my party?!" He demanded. His crew like good little sycophants loudly made their agreement known.

I shoved Luffy forward and Nami took that as a cue to start talking. "I can't stand this idiot any longer." She spat, "He can't do anything right as a captain. Last time we went on a raid, he almost got us caught so many times, right D?"

I just nodded dumbly. Thus my job talking was completed. Act like the dumb muscle while Nami talked. I was big enough for it, and had suggested it to the orange-haired thief to make the act more convincing, no matter how much I hated insults to my intelligence. To help the image of the mindless bruiser, I'd modified my bow with my powers, turning it into a sturdy bo staff not unlike the Ruyi Jingu Bang of legends. I think it fit the situation quite nicely as Buggy couldn't be hurt by blades. My exotic appearance helped me look like part of a freak show as well.

"See? D gets it." Nami said, looking at me with happy sparkles dancing in her eyes. By my ancestors, she was enjoying being the boss way too much. "We both wanted out of this idiot's gig, so we decided to find the most feared pirate crew in the East Blue. D said we should go to Don Krieg, but he's an idiot so his opinion doesn't matter. The name's Nami, by the way."

The Buggy pirates chuckled at this, and I decided to let my eyes glaze over. At this point, I had half a mind to take that smug grin off of Buggy's face.. _'No, don't do anything rash Andoru! It's fine. Everything's cool. Keep to the act. Keep to the act.'_

Buggy crossed his arms with a malevolent smile. "Welcome to the crew then! You made the best choice." He said. With a grand gesture, the captain turned to his crew, "Let's give a flashy welcome to the newest members of the crew, Nami and D! Gyahahaha!"

His crew cheered and the party started back up stronger than ever. "As the first part of the new party, we're going to let these two flashily get rid of their old captain once and for all. It'll be the flashiest greeting and farewell ever! Roll over the Buggy Ball cannon!"

His crew started chanting 'Buggy Ball! Buggy Ball!' As a huge black cannon got rolled in front of me.

A cage made from concrete with metal bars got pushed in front of the cannon's barrel, and one of the Buggy Pirates grabbed Luffy's ropes from my hand, which I let go of freely. He shoved the Rubberman into the cage and thrust a box of matches into Nami's hands.

For a moment Nami looked incredibly nervous, until she hastily pushed the box into my hands. _'Passing the buck to me, eh? Does she not know that I won't let anything happen to any of us?'_

With her nose upturned, she said, "These matches are too dirty for a lady like me to handle! Let D light the fuse, he wallows in his filth regularly enough." Some of the pirates laughed at the jibe, and I wanted nothing more than to show them how powerful I really was. Let's see them laugh after that! My muscles tensed, and I was getting close to taking the staff off my back and showing them my strength.

Reigning in my anger, I turned to the cannon and enacted a plan I came up with in case I ever had to face the Buggy Ball again. With nimble fingers, I grasped the string fuse and grew a solid wood plate inside of the cannon just before the powder. This way, even if it were lit, the Buggy Ball still wouldn't go off.

"Well?!" Nami snapped, digging her knuckles into my side, "What are you waiting for? Shoot it!"

I growled lowly, making sure she could hear it, and she backed off hastily, muttering almost silent apologies. With a flick of the wrist, I set the string alight and made a conscious effort to _lumber_ backwards to the chuckling of the pirates.

The string disappeared into the cannon and everyone on the roof waited in tense anticipation.

When the massive weapon failed to go off after a good thirty seconds, Buggy looked ready to pop a blood vessel. "Who flashily messed with my cannon!" He roared, glaring at his crew murderously.

They all backed up with hands raised placatingly, chorusing their negative responses.

Nami slapped the back of my head, and I almost tore her hand right from her pretty little wrist. "D! You moron! Can't you go for three minutes without breaking something?!" She snapped, unknowing of the volcano of rage that was bubbling beneath my ignorant act. "Seriously! I'd expect someone like _Luffy _to cause this much trouble, not _you_."

Faster than eye could follow, I whipped around to face the girl.

I knew, with every fiber of my being, that I could end her life, and my hands twitched with alien anticipation. It would be so satisfying to slake my thirst for blood and death. I could have my much deserved revenge on everyone who ever did me wrong. Right here, right now.

"D-Doru?" A scared voice asked, and I noticed Nami's chocolate eyes were level with my own. Something wasn't right, Nami wasn't that tall. "Your eyes… they're _black_!"

With growing horror, I realized how close I was to letting the Devil in the Torio-Mokuzai no Mi take over my mind. My eyes widened, and the hand that had been curled up in a fist at the scruff of her neck released, letting the thief drop to the roof.

My hands were shaking, and I could barely hear Buggy's taunting laughter.

"Gyahahaha! He's got quite the flashy temper on him, eh Nami?"

She laughed nervously, and there was fear in her eyes as she responded, "H-ha ha… Yup! That's D for you…" The gravity of what I came so close to doing made all of my muscles lock up.

"Well." The clown captain murmured, "It's too bad the Buggy Ball cannon's broken, but we can still do something else to that guy." His face scrunched up and he gritted his teeth, "Kami, even looking at him is flashily pissing me off! His hat reminds me of _that asshole_!" With angry eyes, the pirate looked to the finely dressed man who stood resolutely to his right. "Heizu, take your flashy knives and gut this kid!"

The man; Heizu, scowled ever so slightly, but approached the cage regardless, "I'll have you know, Buggy-senchou, that they are called crescent moon knives, and you wanted _them_ to kill the boy." He sneered.

My joints finally unlocked, and I looked to Nami with worry. If one of us didn't shoot Luffy soon, then there's no telling what would happen. I slipped the pistol from the sash and flipped it over, offering it to Nami butt-first. She flinched at the weapon being shoved at her, but I jerked my head in Luffy's direction. I couldn't take a life right now, even if it was just acting. Not after coming so close to having my worst fears come true. I can only hope Nami could understand.

Buggy noticed the weapon being offered to Nami and grinned, "Heizu, hold up!" He ordered. The man in the suit sniffed haughtily, but stopped. "It seems these kids still have the guts to go through with it." He licked his lips with anticipation, "Now this is my kind of party!"

Nami shakily took the gun after seeing the pleading in my eyes, and reluctantly aimed it in Luffy's direction. After the weapon left my hands, I felt strangely revitalized, as if I were just waking from a good nap. All of the Buggy pirates, excluding the three men who stood near their captain earlier started chanting. "Shoot him! Shoot him! Shoot Him!"

Nami started sweating, and I could see the conflict on her face. I turned away, trying to hide my shame. This was all my fault. If I had more patience, more _control_, then Nami would've never been put in this situation, even considering the gun would do no harm to Luffy.

Speaking of Luffy, he wasn't helping at all. "Your hands are shaking," He noted, looking at the gun. "This is what happens when you aren't prepared."

Nami's grip tightened, "Prepared for what? To kill at will? Is that the Pirates' Way?"

"No." He said. "It's being prepared to risk your own life!"

She hesitated, and Buggy called out, "C'mon! Don't keep the party waiting!"

One of the pirates rudely pushed Nami aside in impatience, and took the gun from her hands, "Hey, don't make us wait newcomer. This," He said, waving the weapon, "is how you shoot an idiot properly."

I saw Nami's eyes widen and watched in slow motion as the gun was pointed at Luffy. Almost instinctively, I knew something was wrong with it. My mind finally gave me a mental slap upside the head and I realized where I'd felt that particular fatigue associated with the gun before.

Kairoseki.

My Devil Fruit enhanced weakness to the mineral also guaranteed a certain sensitivity to it. Even when I wasn't in direct contact with it the bane of all Devil Fruit powers still projected its own power through things. I felt it through the wood handle and the steel barrel. If that pirate shot Luffy, then his powers would be nullified. My captain would be fully mortal in all senses of the word.

Almost simultaneously, Nami and I prepared our staves. She swung at the man's head, while I took out the gun in an upward sweep. The gun went off safely in the air, ejecting its fatal payload while the pirate fell to his knees with a large lump on his head and two broken arms.

All the pirates in the immediate vicinity gasped and the roof descended into silence with the notable exception of the pirate who just got brutally defeated. Nami and I locked eyes, both forgetting about my near explosion in a shared realization that our plan had just gotten shot to hell.

"Well…"

"Crap." I finished.

Buggy stood in outrage. "What's the meaning of this Nami?!"

She bowed, "Sorry!" I looked at her with an expression of 'really?' and she got all flustered. "My hand just slipped, okay? I'm not coming down to the level of these pirates!"

I snorted quietly, "Didn't seem that way in the Marine Base." I said, uncaring of our cover now that it'd been blown.

Buggy just snarled, "You really think you can get away with this you little traitors? Attack!" He yelled to his men, who were only too eager to comply.

I spun my staff in my hands and got into a ready stance. "I was never one of yours, murderer!" I growled, standing in front of Nami.

She looked ready to protest over my protection, but I gave her a remorseful look. "For whatever it matters, I'm sorry for what happened earlier."

The tide of angry pirates came at us in a wave of steel and noise. With a wide swing, I managed to get them all to back off so I could maneuver.

One of them smirked, "There's all of us against him! He's just a dumb brute with a stick, surround him!"

I gave my own predatory grin and allowed them to circle me.

"What are you doing?" Nami hissed in my ear.

"Get ready to duck." I responded.

They all jumped at me with their swords and assorted weapons hoisted high, but I jabbed my staff at the one directly in front of me while he was midair. Nami barely had time to get down when she realized my plan. Still only using one hand to hold the staff, I swung around in a circle, managing to catch all of the pirates in a wooden arc of pain.

With all of them gathered up nicely, I made another rotation and heaved the amassed pirates directly at their captain. With a sound of surprise, Buggy seemed to explode before his own crew hit him.

I didn't look back, instead grabbing Nami by the wrist and pulling her away from the scene and towards Luffy's cage. "Doru, what–"

"Run before he reforms!" I yelled, adrenaline erasing my earlier fear.

In a split second decision, I elected to take the more brutal and time-efficient way of getting Luffy off of the roof. I drew my foot back and made sure to coat it with a liberal layer of wood before punting the cage.

My captain laughed as he was propelled swiftly downward, enjoying the ride before the cage smashed into the road below. Taking the time only to apologize to the orange-haired girl, I swept her off her feet and followed the rubberman down, holding her as gently as possible. Nami shrieked during the short fall, and I snickered at the fact that at this rate, I'd be jumping from high points at least every third day.

We landed a bit roughly, but I set her down so she wouldn't freak out. With quick steps, I went over to Luffy's cage and hefted it onto my back without a second thought. Just then I registered a green-haired swordsman walking into the bar and called out to him. "Zoro! Get out of there!"

He whipped around, "Wha–"

"Retreat is sometimes necessary and I pissed off a whole lot of them in the process! We might be staying here for a little while longer."

Zoro groaned and facepalmed, "This is what happens when people wake me up from a nap." He groused, following after us. We got a good distance away before the first pirates started pouring from the bar.

What then followed proved to be one of the most ridiculous scenarios I'd ever been in. It was like a joke, really. A bunch of clowns chasing after pirates and a thief who were carrying their laughing rubber captain in a cage.

Thankfully, they weren't all that smart, so we were able to slip away after one or two turns. Once we made our escape, things got far more quiet.

**[l]**

Eventually, we hunkered down in an out of the way street in the town where I was able to set Luffy's cage down with a crash. After dusting my hands off, I took stock of our location, checking any possible areas of entry or escape routes. The place we were in was a little open, and there were quite the number of side streets branching off to the rest of Orange Town. For now, I had to live with it, because there were a lot of places to bolt out of if need be.

The other reason I could do nothing about our exposed location was that Luffy found a dog he found interesting.

The three of us were all running along, trying to find a suitable spot to hide when Luffy spotted this dog from his peripheral vision. Immediately, he called for us to stop, and told me to put the cage down. Seeing what had caught his attention and gave a scoff, understanding and unbelieving why he wanted to stop.

"Man's Best Friend, eh Luffy? For some reason, I can completely see you as a dog person." I remarked. There was just something about him that was vaguely doglike. "Keep your head down." I said, slipping the heavy duty staff from my back. Gripping the weapon in both hands, I did a spin to gain momentum and slammed the staff into the concrete top of the cage. "RRAGH!" The stone shattered into fragments and dust, then Luffy stood from where he was seated.

He laughed and dusted off his hands before hopping out of the cage. Luffy then proceeded to walk over to the dog and sat down in front of it. I smiled briefly at the sheer innocence of it all, watching as Luffy tried to get the dog to do some tricks. When he got bit for his efforts, I decided to join him on the ground.

Luffy scooted a little to allow me room and observed as I allowed the dog to get used to my presence. Slowly, I reached my hand out, palm open for the dog to smell. Patience was a virtue with animals. It didn't show any interest in me, so I leaned back to where I was before. "You see Luffy," I said, "Let the dog decide if it wants to be bothered or not. Taking too aggressive of an approach won't make the dog like you." I gestured to the small white canine who looked like it couldn't care less about our presence, "This one doesn't want to be annoyed."

"How do you know that?" He asked.

I turned my head to him, "Hmm?" What was he asking exactly?

"How did you learn all this stuff?"

"Ah." I said, nodding. "I had to know. If there was ever a person who I was contracted to assassinate guarded by dogs, my teacher wanted me to know how to get by them without detection."

Luffy glanced at me with a searching look, "Do you do it often? The killing?"

With that question, I gave a small sigh. Leave it to Luffy to ask questions in such a genuinely curious way. "I would ask what it mattered to you, but the past has this way of shaping the future." I said. He nodded, and I couldn't help but wonder what happened to Luffy. "I have killed, yes. To be trained as an assassin tends to get one quite acquainted with death. I do not enjoy killing, but I understand that it is sometimes needed to protect others."

I took the staff from my back and held it. "To help my teacher achieve his dream, I have killed." There was a moment of silence, which I used to transform the staff back to what it was before. Wood flowed with my powers like water, and soon, a longbow was once more in my hands. "Whenever death was not needed, I did not kill. Taking a life is something I try to avoid."

Luffy smiled, "Okay, I believe you!" He said. I gave him a smile, and stood up.

"Thank you for being considerate."

I turned to leave him alone with the dog, but his voice stopped me. "Hey, Doru, what was that thing with your eyes? They turned all black."

I stopped but didn't turn. "Ah, well. That's why I have to apologize to Nami, Luffy. You see, we all have our demons, but mine happens to be a little more… literal." With that, I turned to walk away again.

Once again, I was stopped. "Wait, so you were possessed or something?" The orange-haired girl asked, unashamedly eavesdropping on our conversation.

"Or something." I confirmed. "All that was because of this damnable thing inside the Devil Fruit I ate. Due to the _circumstances_ that make me so powerful, it is able to influence my emotions." I held up a hand and took a peach from my inner storage, which I tossed to Luffy. "What you saw there wasn't me completely under control. It was many things piling up and the demon was able to give a little nudge to only make my feelings stronger. That reason, all that anger, passion, fear… It's why I've come to call the demon inside of me 'Enmity.'" I chuckled, lacking all humor. "The opposition to anything positive, the hostility of peace. Enmity. Rather fitting, I say. My eyes turning a different color is an indication of the demon I call Enmity starting to take control." I looked away, "It usually takes something shocking or something that evokes a strong opposite emotion to snap me out of the rages I get driven to."

Zoro eyed me from where he was leaning against a building, "What happens when you lose control?"

I looked at the three interested faces and sighed. "The first time it happened, I was young, and only just got my powers. I sank a battle-ready Marine galleon with hundreds of men on it." I said.

Not wanting to talk about it, I strode away. "Unless there's any other objections, I'm going to take a walk."

**[l]**

'_What is it about these people that makes me reveal so much?' _I asked myself as I strode through another empty street. At most times, I was downright antisocial with others, so why did these four people get me to open up so easily? This was a troubling thought.

I sighed and reached into my jacket pocket for a strip of dried beef. I usually had a couple on me whenever I wasn't planning on using my powers to travel. They tasted like absolutely nothing, and felt like chewing a piece of rawhide, but it was something to occupy my time while I tried to get my mind off of how close I came to murdering every person on that roof. I knew there was some danger even being close to Buggy. Just thinking the name sent unpleasant ripples down my spine, Enmity made sure to stir negativity at the thought.

I need to find some way to quell the thing's influence, sooner hopefully rather than later. All it's ever done was royally screw me over when I least needed it to. Through the entire time since I'd eaten the Torio Mokuzai no Mi, I'd only been coping with the demon that consumed the 'devils' from the other two Devil Fruit. Obviously, coping wouldn't cut it if I've had a close call this early in my adventure. There would be no way to achieve peace with a power like Enmity opposing all I do to seek it. I had plenty of time to meditate and dwell on it.

But not now. There was business to take care of now.

The first thing that tipped me off of my little follower was the unnatural silence. One would expect this from an abandoned town, but there was a slight breeze, which in itself, made noise if one bothered to listen. This silence was greater. Almost like my hearing was being interfered with to cover something up.

My next clue to my tail was from the wind. A strong scent of cheap cologne wafted from wherever the person was standing. It was especially strong to a nose accustomed to the clean and natural scent of the forest, like mine.

I sighed and spat the piece of overly tough beef onto the street. It was the consistency of wood pulp anyway. Come to think of it, it had a similar flavor too.

"You really aren't good at this, are you?" I asked the figure behind me.

The person scoffed haughtily, the voice sounding like the only thing in the street. "You presume I didn't allow you find me, _fool_." His voice was rather reedy and pompous. Like a spoiled rich boy. "It doesn't matter that you know where I am, because your life is already forfeit. You are in the range of my power. There is nothing you can do to escape 'Swirl Magician' Heizu now!"

I turned to find the gaudily-dressed man from earlier. His appearance had changed slightly, as he now had a black cloak with red lining. Beneath that was the same tuxedo, same shiny black dress shoes, and same top hat. He had way too much stage makeup on, and a mustache filled with wax that curled upward. I smiled innocently at him, "Man, you look like nothing but a common stage hack." I remarked brightly, completely unfazed by his 'threatening' demeanor. There was no way that I was intimidated in the slightest by this guy.

He sniffed and spread his arms grandly, "I suppose a ruffian such as yourself wouldn't fear something they've never experienced before. My power, is _great_." Heizu announced. He closed his eyes, then reopened them to reveal glowing yellow irises. "Behold!" He said with glowing swirls appearing on his clothing.

I didn't exactly know what to expect, so I put up a ready stance and averted my gaze from his eyes. The man could have some kind of ocular power, but my hearing was affected by whatever he did when I wasn't looking, so I doubt that. I didn't want to take any chances either way. Glowy was generally bad.

When he didn't bother to make a move and nothing happened from his 'power,' I scowled. At my face, the man grinned sheepishly and I saw a few beads of sweat break through the veritable shell of makeup on his face. "This, ah, usually never happens." He remarked nervously as he took a few steps back.

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" I growled, taking the bow from my back. This idiot was fitting for a crew like Buggy's. Nothing but grandstanding and cheap parlor tricks, all of them. The only one with any modicum of strength was their captain. No wonder the Clown Pirates are shacked out in East Blue.

I loaded an arrow into my bow and drew the string back, aiming the shot right between the 'Swirl Magician's' eyes. "I've no mercy left for Buggy's crew. If my captain doesn't handle you all, you can be assured that I will be there to leave you bloodied and beaten." After a moment, I smiled viciously, "Well, you won't be awake to deliver my message, so what's the point of wasting my time talking to you?" I asked. With that, I let the string free from my fingers.

Or rather, I'd tried to.

The moment my fingers relaxed, the sigils on his body shone and a terrible wave of nausea and dizziness swept through me like a tsunami. There was no way I could keep balance and I started falling even before the bowstring left my fingertips.

My arrow sailed harmlessly past the grinning Heizu's face. The man gave a great guffaw of obviously fake laughter and held his arms wide. "And here you have it, oh marvelous audience! The big reveal!" He tipped his hat down over his eyes, and the swirling sigils on his body glowed brighter. The oppressive feeling from before redoubled, and I fell to my knees. "Here we have the great magician putting this poor soul to his knees with his _arcane_ power!"

Heizu put a hand next to his face and started speaking in a stage whisper, "A magician never reveals his secrets, but you're about to die so I see no reason not to share. Aren't I just the kindest performer you've ever met?" He asked snootily. The man did a twirl and flourished his cape, "Many years ago, I came into possession of a strange fruit which, after eating it, gave me the ability to confound the five senses of any bystander! Truly, it was a power fitting only for a masterful illusionist as myself! The botsu-botsu no mi (daze-daze fruit) became the grrrrreatest crowd-pleaser!" He chuckled loudly, "They just about _threw_ their money at me."

Finally, the nausea and tiredness was lifted from me. I shakily stood to my feet and wobbled for a moment, noticing that the swirls stopped glowing. After I got stable, I met his yellow eyes and smirked as arrogantly as I could, "The only thing fitting for you is a lobotomy. Maybe that'd make you smarter." I said. "You deserve to be on Buggy's crew. Your gimmicks are nice and completely unremarkable, just like your little clown friends." I shook my head free of any remaining cobwebs, "I say you made the stupidest move of your career, stage man. You let your audience know your secret."

Heizu yawned and pulled his knives from his tux pockets. "And like I said before, little green cretin, you won't be living long enough to tell anyone. My crescent moon knives will be more than enough to deal with the likes of you." The swirls on his body started becoming bright again, and I grinned. It was almost too easy to tell when attacks are coming when you light up like a Christmas tree to do so. It only took me the amount of time spent bantering to figure it out.

Idiots. All of them. Being unable to tell when an opponent was stalling was sad, but monologuing and stalling against yourself was downright shameful. To top it off, this guy was so arrogant he revealed his ace in the hole! You don't just do that. One is supposed to keep their enemy guessing.

As the tiredness swept over me again, I allowed myself to fall to my knees freely. If this guy seriously falls for what I'm about to do, I'm going to neuter every last one of the Buggy Pirates on account of being literally too stupid to procreate.

Perhaps Nami was right about the dumb pirates theory.

Heizu chuckled to himself and spun his knives on his both index fingers. "Oh, well. The show must go on. Even if the volunteer from the audience messes up the performance." I dropped my head and listened intently for the sound of the knives swinging downward. Even if his powers affected my hearing, he would simply _need _his victims to have his grating voice to be the last thing they hear. People like him wouldn't change the desire to hear their own voice for anything.

I heard the singing of the two knives and the movement of the air rushing and whispered to myself. **"Uddobodi… (Wood Body)"** I could feel the change my body was going through as I switched completely from having flesh to being composed of wood.

There was the sound of twin thunks as the knives embedded themselves harmlessly into the back of my neck accompanied by a slight sensation of pressure. Heizu gasped in shock and the feeling of nausea disappeared.

I jerked my head back, tearing the knives from the magician's grasp and sending him staggering back. I levelled a look of hopelessness at him. "By my ancestors, you guys are _seriously stupid_. I'm actually speechless." He grit his teeth at me and dodged the punch I sent at his face, to no avail. I simply used one of the first things I learned with my powers and created a coil of rope, which wrapped around his neck.

With Heizu completely at my mercy, I tugged downward on the rope and slammed my knee forcefully into his stomach. His air wheezed out, and I didn't hesitate to let him fall to the paved street below. Not giving him any time to recover, I synthesized a quick knockout poison and let it gather in the palm of my hand as a powder. Patiently, I waited for him to suck in a gasp of air before blowing the poison in his face.

Lacking any alternative or mental discipline to being deprived of oxygen, the so-called 'Swirl Magician' didn't care about what seemed to be dust that I was blowing into his face and breathed in deeply. Not seconds later, he slumped into unconsciousness.

Having swiftly defeated my opponent, I heaved him onto a shoulder, the brown color of the wood composing my body fading back to my normal colors. "Well, that walk was certainly a waste of time. Let's see what Luffy's been up to." I remarked to myself.

Tensing my muscles, I jumped straight onto the rooftop of a nearby building and started going back in the general direction of where Luffy was last at.

It took about fifteen minutes to reach the rest of the crew's location. Partly because of the fact that I got slightly lost, and the other part because I wasn't really in much of a hurry to get anywhere fast. They weren't likely to move after all. When I left, Luffy was aggressively trying to play with the dog, Nami knew to stay low, and I saw Zoro pull out a servicing kit for his swords. Of course, they could be halfway across the island with how impulsive Luffy was.

I returned to where the dog was to find a large crater in the ground, a large lion utterly defeated, and a man with white fur on his head unconscious on the road. For a second I surveyed the surrounding area to see any other damages Luffy may have made, to find out in a rather pleasant surprise that nothing other than the crater, the lion, and the man were damaged.

My captain was sitting in front of the small white dog, petting its head affectionately with a smile.

Nonchalantly, I dropped the knocked out magician next to the oversized savannah cat and leaned up against a nearby building. "So what happened captain? More of Buggy's thugs?"

Luffy looked up and the dog barked. He grinned and patted it again. "They tried to destroy ChouChou's treasure, so I kicked their asses." He took his straw hat off and spun it on a finger, "If anyone tried to touch my treasure like they did to ChouChou…" His grin never left his face "I'd kick their ass too." The way he said it made it seem like getting beaten after damaging his hat was a law of nature, rather than an action.

I hummed and gestured to Heizu, "I don't even know what this guy was thinking when I let him sneak up on me. He must've been dropped on his head as a child." I scratched the back of my head. "He had Devil Fruit powers. It let him mess with the five senses, but he couldn't use it very well. I figured it out in about forty seconds and took him out in forty-five."

Luffy laughed, "Well if you lost to someone as weak as him I don't think I'd let you stay on my crew."

I smiled. "You don't have to worry about me losing in a fight for a while, Luffy. East Blue pirates aren't much of a challenge. It's the Grand Line we have to worry about." My smile dropped. "Makes me think of how a crew as weak as the Buggy Pirates managed to make it to my home island."

"You can ask him yourself."

I turned to Zoro, who was thumbing his swords from their sheaths to check for maximum drawing ability. "Hm?"

Luffy placed an arm on his bicep, "Yeah. We're going back up there to kick his ass!"

With a sigh of exasperation Nami groaned out, "Luffy… you can't just solve your problems by beating people up."

He looked confused, "Says who?"

Zoro grunted, "It's always worked for me."

I laughed as the four of us started off in the direction of Buggy's base. "That explains a lot about you both, actually." I said. As much as it pained me to agree to such a blunt strategy, I had to go with Luffy this time. Finesse wouldn't get rid of the Buggy Pirates because they wouldn't care about any sly deals we might offer. Brute force would be the answer here, and from what I've seen from him so far, brute force was right up Monkey D. Luffy's alley.

"We can't swindle these pirates out of town because they've already got everything they want. We don't have anything of value with us. The best way to get them to leave would be to force them off the island." I said, sharing a look with Nami. We both didn't think the way Luffy originally wanted this to go down would be what happened. Heck, he'd even said he was going to drift in the sea as far back as Shells Town, and was fine with the detour as long as he could beat someone up. _'Captain's orders I suppose. He wanted a fight, and he'll get one.'_ I thought. It seems what Luffy says, goes, no matter how long it takes for it to come pass. If he said he wanted to eat, by Kami, he'd eat something. I imagine that stubbornness is going to get him– no, _us– _far.

Makes shivers run down my spine when I'm reminded of Luffy's often proclamations of him becoming Pirate King.

**[l]**

"Wait! Luffy!" I shouted just as he was drawing his hands back to blast Buggy into the horizon. He hesitated, and let his arms snap back. "Thank you, captain." I said, relief seeping into my voice. Luffy had just come off of beating the living tar out of the clown for tearing three long gashes in his hat, and I could tell he wanted to finish Buggy off, despite the grin on his face.

The battle was over.

Nami was proudly standing over a bundle full of Buggy's leftover parts with two sacks full of treasure nestled lovingly against her cheeks and the map on her person. I, of course left with her earlier on to assist in getting said treasure alongside the true bounty of the trip. Not that I didn't want to confront Buggy, I just wanted to fulfil my contract with Nami first. It was over now, and she didn't have to worry about us evil pirates getting up in her business.

Zoro wasn't nearly as satisfied with his haul as Nami was, as he only got a below-par fight with a acrobat who relied more on parlor tricks than actual swordplay. Right now, he was sitting on the sidewalk dabbing at a cut he received from a top, of all things.

But while the others had gotten what they wanted, I was still left unsatisfied.

I knew in my heart, there was something wrong with what happened on Toranku. People don't just find that island out of nowhere except they use an eternal pose. Buggy should have never gotten there, and yet, he did. This fact had been festering in my mind for twelve years, and now I had my chance to find out the truth.

The now pint-sized pirate captain tried scrambling back as I approached him. He didn't get far and tripped on his own oversized coat before I got to him and lifted him by his hair roughly. "Buggy the Clown." I said, staring deeply into his eyes. "I should kill you for all you've done."

He faltered for a moment before I noticed recognition in his expression. His face then morphed into one of terror, which was quickly covered by smugness. "Haa… Haha… Gyahahaha! So it's you!" He said, grinning madly. "Come to flashily get revenge on the one that burned down your little forest?"

I shook him roughly, feeling anger rise up before I squashed it down. "No. As much as I'd like that, I'm here for answers." He opened his mouth to possibly insult me, so I didn't let him. "You were there at an uncharted island, unknown even by the Grand Line's standards. How did you know how to get to Toranku Island? Answer this, and I'll let you go."

Roots started crawling over Buggy's reduced form from the hand grasping his hair, quickly forming an impenetrable net around him. I channeled my powers to grow tendrils over his body segments in the bundle as well. "If I don't like your answer, I'll start throwing pieces of you into the sea one at a time. Will your Bara-Bara body stay alive if it gets neutralized while separated? There's only one way to find out." I said.

Buggy gulped at the threat to his person. "You don't have the balls to flashily carry out something like that!" He said.

"I don't? I say that you don't have very much of a choice in the matter, Buggy. Talk, or find out if you can be rendered into a miserable stump of a man for the rest of your life."

He looked furious and looked like he was about to deny me when I grew a grass blade and chopped his hand off, releasing the roots entangling the part. I saw a look of panic in his face as I walked to the well where Luffy and he were battling earlier. I quickly drew a bucket of water and brought it back to set in front of the pirate captain. "Let's start with the hand, shall we?"

"Okay, okay! I'll talk, you flashy bastard!" Buggy yelled. I placed the hand away from the threat of the water bucket and watched impassively. "There were these weird-ass dreams, okay? Every time I went to flashily sleep, I'd get these animal dreams. They only got worse as time went on, and I couldn't flashily close my eyes without seeing this flashy damn bird!"

Bird…

My eyes widened. All those years ago I, too had a dream involving birds. I could still picture it every now and then. A golden eagle saving a raven from the sea, but what did it mean?

"Eventually I got this image of this flashy forest, and I figured that was where these dreams were coming from. So I gathered my crew and headed out to the Grand Line to search for that forest. I lost a lot of my crew to that flashy sea, and when I finally found that stupid flashy place I hated it so much. I couldn't burn the island down fast enough." Buggy said. He grinned, "You know what happened after that? They stopped. Just like that. No more flashy birds. I shoot them whenever I see them now. I saved Heizu from the Marines, then came back to East Blue so I could gather all the treasure here."

I withdrew the root net and gave him back his hand. "You're a terrible person and a heartless murderer, Buggy the Clown. If I ever see you again, I can promise only pain for you far beyond what you've ever experienced." With that, I dropped the clown. "Luffy, you're up."

**"Gomu-Gomu no…"**

Buggy looked at me with bugged out eyes, "Wait, we had a flashy agreement! You'd let me go!"

The face I gave him bode ill tidings, "You will be let go. In fact, you're getting a free trip from the future Pirate King."

**"Bazooka! (Gum-Gum Bazooka)"** My captain laughed as his palms were thrust at Buggy with the force of a speeding train and then some. The small man got blasted into the sky and become nothing but a glimmer after a few seconds.

Luffy's arms retracted and he raised them in the air. "I won!" He cheered. His attitude then sobered when he noticed the state of his hat. A nasty nick on the side and three gaping holes in the top.

Nami looked apprehensive, then approached Luffy. "You're hat's all torn up." she said.

"It's alright, I can still wear it." Luffy replied.

She looked away, "Don't worry… I'll help you patch it up later." She then held up something for Luffy. "Here, take it. The map to the Grand Line."

"What?" Luffy asked, astonished. "You're giving it to me? Yatta! I finally got the map to the Grand Line!" He shouted. Then he seemed to realize something, "Wait, does this mean you're joining us?"

Nami placed her hands on her hips, "Don't be ridiculous! I'm not going to be a pirate like you… But staying with you is going to get me lots of money."

I smiled gently, "I'm happy to hear such good things, Nami. You'll get your hauls, and then some with us."

She held up a finger, "But I'm just working with you, let's make that clear. Remember that." She tried lifting the large bags of treasure, then decided the task wasn't good enough for her. "Doru, could you carry these bags of treasure for me? I think they're a bit too heavy for me."

I laughed darkly, "Well, you're going to fit right in, Nami."

**[l]**


End file.
